You know how when you’re thinking of buying a new car and
have a few models in mind, you start to constantly see them on the roads everywhere? Yeah.
That’s exactly what has been happening so far with this campaign.
I mentioned this already in an earlier post, but even though
I knew how prevalent cancer is – I didn’t really know. Yesterday, in the
middle of a Manic Monday (are The Bangles still together?), I received an email
from someone with whom I’ve worked the last 17 years. Didn’t think a thing of it as the email hit
my inbox, as I figured he was responding to one of the zillion emails I
inundate him with daily. Until I read it
and it said this:
This crusade the two of you embarked on has suddenly
become very personal. We just found out last night that Yvonne’s sister Heidi
(38, mother of 4) has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. While the doctors
say her prognosis is good she obviously has a long, tough road ahead. Thank you
both very much for your efforts.
Aaron
I let out a deep sigh and responded with what I could. The “both” Aaron is referring to is myself
and Angela, our VP of Professional Services at work. We have a high tenure at IOS, and as such,
are like family. Cancer invades our
families. It invades our homes. It invades strangers.
Speaking of strangers, I ran a marathon Sunday morning and
cried twice. Once when I finished, and
once, at mile 22 when I read this HUGE sign, held high above the others: “HELLO total stranger, today I am proud of
you.”
Even though I couldn’t breathe, I smiled and said to her, “I
love your sign!”
And then it hit me as it did again yesterday: we are NOT strangers. We are in this walk (or run) of life
together. We are in this fight against
cancer together.
Together is the key - together we can make a difference for
the greater good. Seriously. I believe it with every ounce of my being.
These blog posts are intended to bring about blood cancer
awareness, hopefully inspire, and yes – hopefully also move you to donate to
this collective cause. Please consider
it this week. We have 9 left to go.
Thanks, everyone.
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