This Woman's Work

Happy Friday Kiddos! I've been finding that I'm more of a reactive personality when it comes to this blog--I tend to wait until something really gets to me one way or the other before I'll write, only because I despise monotony. But I think Fridays have a neat affect on the general week-working population. People are happier with one last day to work and spend water cooler time talking about plans for the weekend. I think I spend a lot of my day looking ahead to what's to come in the next two. So maybe that's enough to start with:

I'm going to a cancer benefit on Saturday. Not some high-profile "Let's Cure Cancer, and maybe meet an ex pro-sports figure, while bidding through silent auction" benefit, but something much closer to real life. A childhood friend of my boyfriend's is having the event for his fiance. She's a cancer survivor of 3 times or something amazing like that, and has fallen from remission again only to start the battle all over. She must redo all chemo and radiation on top of needing a double hip replacement due to treatments essentially turning her bones to dust. Saturday's benefit is to help pay for it all - her insurance dropped her once they got the news.

Now I'd say I'm a pretty happy person, and can be a very 'the glass is half full' kinda gal....but how on Earth does one make it through something like that once, much less 3 and 4 times without hating the world and everyone in it? I've met Marla....she's amazing and so strong spirited. And I look at her and wonder "how"? I've been so blessed to be healthy that I can't imagine myself being nothing but a depressing mess through something like that. How does one not feel betrayed? Like you're constantly being sought and attacked? And then left for poverty by the institution whose sole purpose is to alleviate financial worry in times like this?

My heart bleeds for Marla, and everyone who's walked down a similar path. In a perfect world, only the worst would see these terrible things. I'm glad to be attending this event to support a cause that absolutely needs attention. I think an even larger celebration is due once she's kicked the big "C" yet again. :) Here's an amazing video from So You Think You Can Dance about cancer, specifically breast cancer. It's strength makes me cry every time I watch it.

This Woman's Work