Cancer survivor speaks about finishing the fight

Why am I helping to finish the fight against cancer? For me the answer is easy.
http://rutlandherald.com/article/20140611/FEATURES14/706119964

NICHOLE DOWNING Published June 11, 2014 in the Rutland Herald Cancer survivor speaks about finishing the fight By Nichole Downing Special to the Herald Why am I helping to finish the fight against cancer? For me the answer is easy. It started during advent season in 2007. We had just welcomed our youngest child into our family four months prior and were anxious for the upcoming Christmas holiday. Our pastor challenged the congregation at our church, Calvary Baptist in downtown Springfield, to become as excited about the coming of Christ as we were about any gift under the tree — a reasonable goal for any Christian at Christmas in this materialistic society we live in. I wanted this for myself but was unprepared for the way God would choose to answer my advent prayer. The day after Christmas I got a call from my dermatologist that the pathology on a recent biopsy I had was in. I had melanoma. I was 31, with three children, otherwise healthy and was diagnosed with the deadliest form of skin cancer. I was scared to death but I put one foot in front of the other. My faith was my lifeline; I was desperate for God during the unknown of this time. It didn’t take long for me to realize that this was the answer to my prayer and that God was about to show me the truth that his ways are higher than our ways. His timing is not our timing. He would use this trial to bring about good in my life. Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center’s Norris Cotton Cancer Center and the oncology clinic at Springfield Hospital became my home away from home. I faced my worst fears. Would I see my children graduate from high school? See them get married? The only experience with cancer I had before resulted in the loss of my dad in 2001. Many surgeries, a year of treatments, follow-up appointments, scans and tears later I am thankful to be cancer-free. There was a period of time after facing the statistics that I wondered, “Will my love for life ever return or will I forever live in fear of my cancer returning?” Time has helped to heal this wound. I’ve chosen to use my experience for the good and to give God the credit for what he has done in my life. One of the ways I have chosen to do that is by getting involved in Relay for Life. As you might imagine, I’ve become very motivated to help bring about a cure for cancer. What if in my lifetime this became a reality? Three years ago when the Windsor County Relay for Life first came to Springfield I participated for the first time in this event. Our church had a very small team and we were not very prepared but had an amazing time. We had no tent, sat out under the stars all night, got very damp, did very little fundraising but became motivated to do it better next year. Last year our church celebrated its 90th anniversary and when looking for an outreach project, we chose Relay for Life. Our team, “Calvary for a Cure,” enlisted about 25 members and raised $2,900. We raised the bar and are striving to do the same again this year. Last fall, the Windsor County Relay for Life committee began planning for the 2014 event and I became the publicity chairperson. Since 1946, the American Cancer Society has invested more than $3.9 billion in cancer research and I want to do my part. In addition to my passion for this cause, Relay for Life is an amazing, fun community event that draws people from all across Vermont together — and we can always use more positive opportunities to come together. Last year, when my family was having an end to the summer Labor Day cookout we were all recalling our favorite part of the summer. There was dinner on the water-front in Portland, Maine, jet skiing on Lake Winnipausakee and all kinds of memories to pick from. My sister-in-law, Kassie, said her favorite part of the summer was Relay for Life. It was her first time attending and it made an impression on her. She has now become our team captain and is leading with enthusiasm. So, the answer as to why I’m finishing the fight is this: So that my children never have to hear the words “you have cancer.” What would your answer be? Put action behind your words and show your commitment to create a world with more birthdays and less cancer by joining me at 6 p.m. June 28 on the track at Riverside Middle School. It’s not too late, there isn’t fundraising pressure — it’s just $10 to register and you don’t have to stay all night — even though once you get there you won’t want to leave. To register go to www.relayforlife.org/windsorvt or contact Svea Miller at svea.miller@cancer.org.