For The Heroes Out There

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and they surround those of us fighting cancer or any life-threatening illnesses on a daily basis. While some of them do not necessarily hide in the shadows, we know that they are always there to lend a hand of support when needed. They offer kind words, friendly smiles and an encouragement to countless fighters and survivers on a daily basis and I want to ensure they truly know how much I (and millions of others) appreciate their support.

There are moments in life when words feel far too small to hold the weight of my gratitude. Ongoing cancer treatments and visiting the oncology ward on a bi-weekly basis is one of those moments for me. Whenever I visit the hospital I am filled with various feelings of uncertainty, courage, pain, hope, and resilience and it is the unwavering kindness, strength, and compassion of the care workers who walked this road with me that help me stay the course.

To the nurses, doctors, specialists, and support staff at the hospital: THANK YOU. You are more than medical professionals - you are lifelines and cheerleaders. You often see me at my most vulnerable and continue to treat me with dignity, respect, and warmth every step of the way. Thank you for reassuring words and steady hands that inject that needle into my port - and yes I am and will always be afraid of needles. But you always make me feel at ease. Thank you for your small acts of kindess that may sometimes go unnoticed - like the cups of water with just the righ amount of ice or the warm blanket during the chemo session, or the smile and friendly reminder that I am not alone when facing a tough day. Please know that your words, your actions and your kind spirit do make a difference.

To my many friends and peers at my place of employment and those of you at the Canadian Cancer Society that are all part of my "Army of Support". I cannot THANK YOU enough. You are there to always encourage me, to pray for me and to push me through to the next day. When you all heard I was going on a short-term leave I could not believe the amount of support and encouragement and beautiful words I have received and continue to receive. Even the suggestions in regards to where to get my ever so wanted "mild chicken biriyani" was answered immediately, some even offered to cook for me. These actions do not go unnoticed and once again make a difference in my life and the lives of my family.

To my beautiful, wonderful, incredibe and ever supportive family I cannot say THANK YOU enough for all that you have done for me. A person never truly understands the value of family until they are needed. Thank you for being my strength when I felt weak. For believing in me on the days when I struggled to believe in myself. Through every diagnosis, every treatment you continue to stand by me anxiously waiting for results and always ensuring me that there is good news ahead. You have given me the strength to never give up. You encourage me to move forward daily and to push forward to the next day. You continue to remind me to be strong, even when I am weak and are always there for me when I sometimes give in to the fear that cancer brings with it.

Each and every one of you are my hero and I admire all of you. I know (although sometimes I need to be reminded) that I can weather any storm that I am faced with because you are all there fighting with me. I can jump any hurdle or climb any mountain because you have all motivated me to keep pushing forward, so I conclude this simply by saying THANK YOU.