Some thoughts today — Memorial Day.
Working with people affected by colon and rectal cancer has wonderful benefits. I have met and been inspired by strong and courageous people. I’ve made many friends.
And I’ve lost dear friends who died from this terrible disease. Today I remember and honor them.
There are too many names to list. And there are many, many names I do not know.
This year 55,000 people will die of colorectal cancer in the United States. Worldwide more than half a million people will die.
In their memory, we continue to work for better prevention and treatment — so we can beat colorectal cancer.
Death and suffering from colorectal cancer can be ended — and, if we to work, continue to fight, it will be.
- Prevent: Make sure that everyone has access to effective screening and convince them to be tested. The large majority of colon and rectal cancers can be prevented by timely screening. Prevented!
- Treat: Increase funding for research into new effective treatments to cure colorectal cancer and prevent it from coming back. We especially need to find ways to treat the most serious cancers that have spread throughout the body. Found early, treated effectively, colorectal cancer can be cured!
- Beat: Fight colorectal cancer with every weapon available: awareness, advocacy, screening, research, access to medical care. With enough money, imagination, and hard work colon and rectal cancer can be beaten!
If you are thinking of someone special today who has died from colon or rectal cancer and want to remember them, perhaps a gift to the Lisa Fund which is dedicated to innovative colorectal cancer research would be a fitting tribute.
Thank you Red, Debbie, Rebecca, Diane, Richard, Dagny, Jenny, Elizabeth. . . all of you in my heart . . . for your remarkable lives.
Kate Murphy
May 30, 2007 at 8:45 pm, Rob Michelson said:
The above post is a very touching – and sobering – reminder of what this cause is about.
May God bless those who have passed. Cancer affects not only the survivor and those whose lives have been shortened – but also has a serious, permanent impact – financial, emotional, logistical, on family members – too often young children left behind without one of their parents.
God bless these families.
Let’s keep the memories of our friends alive by continuing their (and our) cause.