Ok, this is a serious post for me.
July is always a weird month for me. It’s like the “Calvin new year’s celebration”. In July, usually good things happen to me and bad things happen to me. My year begins and ends in July.
Today is July 5. It’s my mother’s birthday. Today, she would have been 60 years old. Unfortunately, her life was cut short almost a decade ago due to being on the losing side of a very courageous and valiant fight against Cancer. She fought it the first time, and she KICKED ITS ASS.
But it returned 5yrs later. More violent. More aggressive. Unyielding. Ultimately, during this 2nd time it was a bit too much for her.
This was all nearly a decade ago. Since then, I’ve grown up, been in love, fallen out of it, gained money, wasted money, worked a lot, had a lot of friends, lost a lost of loved ones and lived life to the fullest. I’ve done this in honor of her memory. I loved her. I love her.
The one thing I want to do more then anything else in life now, is to give back. I want to take my #Fitblog status and make it into something more. Something better. Something so powerful that one day, no child will ever have to think about a world where he saw his mother suffer with a disease that ultimately ended her time here way too soon.
Personally, I try to eat right, exercise, watch the alcohol do the things that will put me in the best shape to be here a while. To fight cancer in my own life.
I do have a villain. And although I’ve swore to fight off fat, laziness and improper nutrition, the biggest villain of all is that jerk called… BREAST CANCER. What an absolute bitch.
There are few things that I hate. I can’t think of any actually. Outside of 1. And I HATE Breast Cancer.
I hate it for what it does to women. I hate it for what it does to families. I hate it for what it does to those left behind.
I’ve had thoughts here and there and what I know at this point is that I wish to DO something… something that both helps to educate to prevent as much as possible Breast Cancer as well as help women who are currently dealing with the disease and need to be reminded that they are not alone and that even now, regardless of what happens to their hair or breasts, THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL.
I’m enroute to entering a Ph.D. program in the fall. But that’s not an excuse. My mother passed nearly a decade ago and I’ve done nothing to give back. So today I start.
I’m trying to lay the plans to open a foundation dedicated towards Breast Cancer research and treatment. It’s the one thing I want to leave on Earth, whenever the time comes for me to not be here anymore. Obviously, I’m naming it after her, my mother.
I’ve never loved so much in my life than that woman, that I can say. As an expression of that, I want all who deal with what she dealt with to know there is at least one person thinking of you and on your side— me. I’ll keep you posted. But a year from today, I want to say I have a tangible organization in which to help Breast Cancer patients, and women at risk.
I want to say that I value my friendship with Krysten, who reminds me that there is always the opportunity to “do more” and not let your circumstances define you. (Follow her on Twitter!) She has her own story to tell. It’s time for me to catch up to her, who inspires me with every post. She was the first guest post I allowed on here because her story is so compelling.
And of course, I want to write that I still love you, Mama. I always have. I always will. And even now I feel your presence in my life. I am going to do something to keep your struggle and your fight alive. And the time is NOW.
