A Card for my Mom

Cancer. It can be a terrifying word. I know I was terrified when my mother told me that she had cancer. I remember being caught up in the word-“cancer.” I did not know my mother’s condition, that there were 4 stages of cancer, which stage my mother was in, what her course of treatment would be, or anything else.

The first word that people think of when they hear the word cancer is “death.” At least that was the first word I thought of. Up to that point in my life, my brief history with cancer was death. Three friends of mine had cancer and did not survive.

When my friends battled their cancers, I sent them greeting cards, to let them know I was thinking of them. “Why send them a greeting card?” you might ask. Quite simply, it was the only thing I knew to do. I felt helpless. I could not control the situation, the progression of the disease, or what was happening. The only thing I could do for them was to send a greeting card to express my concern, encouragement, and well wishes.

When my mother went through her cancer treatment, I sent her greeting cards as well. I sent her a greeting card a week, sometimes more often than that. At the end of her treatment, she had an abundance of cards and letters and well wishes from friends and family.

Thankfully, my mother’s cancer was treatable. She received a course of treatment customized for her, and made a full recovery. She was diagnosed with cancer ten years ago today. She remains cancer free to this day.

Congratulations mom on your surviving ten years cancer free. I hope you like this card. I made it just for you.