Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. exceeded only by heart disease, reported by the American Cancer Society. My own family has been touched by cancer, an uncle died at 35 yrs. old from lung cancer, and one of my grandmothers died in her early 40's of a female cancer. I don't know much about the two of them cause I was to young when my uncle died and I wasn't even born yet when my grandmother passed on. So it wasn't until I was a grown adult that I really understood the effect of cancer.
My younger sister Sheila was 22 yrs. old and pregnant when she learned that she had Cervical cancer. What a shock, there was nothing that could be done until after she had the baby, so you had to sit and just wait. She delivered a healthy baby girl and was soon scheduled for a Hysterectomy. They were going to leave the ovaries cause they didn't want her to go through menopause at such an early age. I felt so bad for her and I know that I wasn't much support, she was so young and they were telling her that they needed to take her womanly parts out and that would be the end of having any more children, but she was a strong person and seemed to have dealt with it pretty good, I believe that
maybe in some way she thought that at least she was blessed with three beautiful girls. The surgery was a success of the removal of the cancer. But a year later she had another scare and then they went in to remove one of the ovaries. Now it seems each year she has another scare and she has to go in for different test. All you can do is pray that the cancer doesn't come back.
In 1999 I met my soul mate, who just a few months before lost his mother to Breast cancer and a lot of problems that came after. From what I understand it was like a snowball effect, one thing after another all caused by the cancer. I never was able to met the lady but from what everyone will tell you she was a well respected, lovely woman. I only wished I had been able to met and known her, she lives on in her two sons.
I have had my own scares with finding a lump in my breast this year and had to go through a few months of test that hurt like crazy but all has seemed to turn out well for me. But during that time I know how scared I was and all the what if's.
So I have decided to put together this website in hopes that it may be able to help someone that is dealing with cancer, or someone who may be trying to help someone deal with it, an be a good source of support, that I only wished I could have been for my sister, but when your scared for someone and your not educated on cancer you have no clue as to what to do or say. So please look around and I hope this may help some. I will keep updating this site, as I am still doing more research on cancer.
 Update: August 14, 2003
My sister is still doing very well, tried a medication or two too help her out. Working with just one ovary hasn't been easy on her.
I received some bad news last month that a dear cousin of mine has been diagnosed with Cervical Cancer. She went for just a routine check-up and now her life is turned upside down. The last information I received was that she has started radiation therapy. The doctors as are on a positive note that this should get rid of any cancer.
My thoughts......As I sit and just think of my own family members that have been touched by cancer I think about how other families may deal with the issue. I know its hard because no matter how you try to think positive like people tell you to do, you just never really know the final out come and that the cancer will stay gone.
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