Garden Prep/Speech Prep 5-15-12
I jumped in the shower before Scott had to leave for
work. I don’t like having that
morning time to myself because it makes me think of sad things. If I’m alone the thoughts come creeping
in. So I try to get all that stuff
done before Scott leaves.
In our conversation this morning I did tell Scott that I
will stop crying the day I lay on my deathbed. Because that day will be the day I know that I will soon be
reunited with Kathryn. Until then
I will continue to cry but I will be crying in between many glorious and happy
times. My life is good and I am
happy. I don’t want you to believe
that I am just down all of the time because I am not.
I have the garden area all ready to go. I took out all but three rose
bushes. I have to also add 5
little tiny sprinklers. I did two
of them. So tomorrow I will do the rest.
I wrote my speech for the Relay at Western. I thought I would include it here. Yes of course it was hard to write and
I cried like a baby. I just hope
to read it enough times so when I do read it at the relay I can do it without
crying.
Speech:
Hope – My daughter (Kathryn) was diagnosed with a
Medulloblastoma (a type of brain tumor) back in 1999. At that time she was given a 70% survival rate now because
of research and the sharing of information there is a 90-95% survival rate with
this same tumor.
When Kathryn was diagnosed back in 1999 I heard horror
stories of children never being the same after the treatment. I heard story after story of children
losing their cognitive abilities as well as their physical abilities. I don’t know how many times I was told
about gifted students who had undergone treatment for brain tumors and were no
longer able to function at grade level.
For us the research had already found that the amount of
radiation was far more than needed and we missed the high doses by months and
maybe only weeks. Kathryn sailed
through school as a straight A student.
She earned many awards and was even recognized here at Western with an
academic scholarship as she entered her freshman year.
The research allowed us to have Kathryn in her
entirety. She was a whole person
mind, body and soul. Her cancer
didn’t take anything from her. She
went on to live a very happy life.
She even wrote that she felt it was her obligation to share her joy with
everyone. She did just that. She had a smile that never dimmed. She went to the School of Arts in down
town Tacoma where they would ride the bus from class to class because the
classes could be several blocks apart.
One day as she sat on the bus she noticed a boy. She went over to him and held his
hand. She must have known he was
feeling down and just needed a friend.
There she was to comfort him.
She also attended Relay for Life starting in 2000. In 2005 she joined a friends team and
from 2006-2009 she captained her own team. It was called CAKE, which stood for Kids against cancer
everywhere. When she came to
Western she was honored by being asked to serve on the Relay committee. She had a very full life.
The money raised here tonight not only supports research but
many other things one of which is Camp Goodtimes. This is a camp for kids who have or had cancer. They are allowed to take one
sibling. Camp Goodtimes is the
happiest place on earth as Kathryn would say. It is a full week of fun. They go fishing, swimming, bike riding, do arts and crafts
and just play around. They do
skits and have campfires. They
have a dance and a huge carnival.
They get their hair done up with different colors and wacky
designs. They go on the Boata to
Seattle and get French fries thrown at them from Red Robin. I can’t imagine how my two children
would have gone through life without Camp Goodtimes. Everyone is equal.
Some have feeding tubes and some have no hair. No one cares because it isn’t about cancer – it’s about
living it up. You have helped
create this very special place for kids who need it so badly. That one week means more than you will
ever know to these kids. Kathryn
and my son Richard have attended since 2001. They started as campers and have dedicated every summer as
staff as soon as they could.
Cancer gave Kathryn and our family appreciation for life,
family and friends. She lived life
to the very fullest because of cancer.
Her dream was to become a childlife specialist in the oncology
department to help kids get through their treatments. She figured she could be their example of success and give
them hope. She did this already
before she earned any degree. She
gave many people hope. She brought
joy to everyone she met. Cancer
also gave us another family. The
one we found at Camp Goodtimes. What
an amazing gift that was. Cancer
never beat us – we have received so much in terms of love and support because
of cancer.
So, the research had come along far enough to give us a
wonderful life with Kathryn but it hadn’t come far enough. Back in 1999 they also did what is
called a full brain boost. This is
radiation through out the entire brain.
They don’t so this anymore.
They have found out it is not needed and can cause secondary brain
cancer. In our case that is what
it did. Eleven years after her
first diagnose Kathryn was once again diagnosed with a brain tumor on April 17th
2010. Our worst fears were
confirmed on April 27th when her surgery took place and they told us
it was a Glioblastoma Multiforma.
A GBM is the most deadly form of brain cancer. The survival rate…
well it doesn’t exist. She
tried to come back and finish the year but it wasn’t going to happen. She did come back and participate as a
committee member in the relay. Kathryn, was able to complete the 2010-2011
school year here at Western and also attend the relay as a committee
member. This is because of
research. Normally a person with a
GBM dies within 6 months of diagnoses.
It is unusually to live beyond a year. That last year of college was a wonderful year for
Kathryn. She was a normal college
student and that is just what she wanted to be. Even though her brother drove her home every two weeks for
treatment she was able to enjoy the college life. I’m so thankful.
The treatment had improved and she had fewer side effects than she had
the first time.
Research has come a long ways. More Birthdays are celebrated. More children are living. But we still have a ways to go. My beautiful daughter was finally taken by cancer on
February 2nd 2012 just three days short of her 21st
birthday.
We must continue the fight and look to methods that don’t
cause secondary cancers as radiation and chemotherapy can. We need to support research for gene
therapy, immune therapy and vaccines.
The work is in the process and some day - some day it will all come together and all cancers will have
high success rates. No one will be
told you have 3 to 6 months to live.
No doctor will have to say we are only doing palliatative care because
there is no cure. It will happen
and with every passing year our scientist are learning how to control and cure
different types of cancer.
So keep up the good work that you are doing. The support of patients and the support
for research depends on people like you.
Thank you
Let me know what you think.
SO good! Beautifully said, Carol!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. Don't change a word. Yvonne
ReplyDeleteIt is an informative, inspiring and perfect speech. Your words will be a blessing to all who hear (and read) them. God bless you as you go to speak - He will carry you.
ReplyDelete