Cancer fighters club has a courageous, inspiring membership
I've never been much of a joiner.
From the Boy Scouts in youth to the Rotary Club in recent years, I couldn't get the hang of membership. Somehow, even good standing in the National Geographic Society has eluded me.
I guess, to paraphrase Groucho Marx and his secret son Woody Allen, "I don't care to belong to a club that will have me as a member."
But the club I recently joined is different. Membership isn't voluntary, far from it, and I've quickly learned that this organization is not for sissies. My brave daughter Amelia is a proud member.
When I recently wrote of my throat cancer diagnosis and subsequent surgeries, something strange and incredible happened. And even if my throat hadn't already been too sore to speak, it would have stunned me to silence .
Dozens of readers stepped up to share their inspiring cancer stories. Some suggested alternative treatments, a few offered opinions of physicians, and others gave tips on healthier eating. They welcomed me to the vast membership of the cancer fighters club by encouraging me to stay strong.
As a new member, I'd like to send a few of their many stories your way.
As a 53-year-old registered nurse and director of clinical services at a local hospice, K. Maxfield knows something about life and medicine. Her throat cancer has taught her even more.
"I wish I could tell you the weeks that lie ahead will be easy (or at least not as difficult as you fear), that the radiation therapy will be no more difficult than a painful bout of strep throat, but that would be an untruth," she wrote.
"After 30 treatments of radiation directed at my mouth and neck, the treatment is probably the most difficult thing I have endured physically, but emotionally I used it as a constant reminder of what a tremendous gift life is. The good days and the bad. Life throws us all a below-the-belt punch from time to time, but for good reason, or so I believe. After reading your article I think that you do as well.
"Because of my work experience for the past 15+ years in hospice, I thought I had long since learned, through observation, the appreciation of my life. I was wrong, as I can truly say that now, based on my personal experience and the growth that resulted, I have changed. I no longer sweat the small stuff, no longer allow myself to be distracted by the stressors of the work place, and have learned to appreciate the small and all-too-often overlooked gifts that each day has to offer."
A colon cancer diagnosis hasn't kept Mary L. Schrandt from contributing to her community in numerous ways.
"I am a 7-year colon cancer survivor and my husband completed treatment, both chemo and radiation, for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma this spring. We both are now cancer free, and it seems that whenever I read about someone new contracting cancer, I am particularly interested in each case.
"As a driver for Meals on Wheels in Henderson, I see a lot of seniors struggling with various stages of illness every day. But for the most part, every one of them is cheerful and downplays their struggles."
That positive attitude is exemplified by Leslie Parraguirre's pillow. When Parraguirre, wife of state Supreme Court Justice Ron Parraguirre, was diagnosed with melanoma breast cancer, she sought the best treatment available and was surrounded by her supportive family.
"My mom (89-year-old Wanda) gave me this little pillow that says, 'Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. ... It's about getting out there and dancing in the rain,' " Leslie wrote.
It sounds simple, but club members know a positive attitude is among the essential elements in successfully beating back the disease.
Jane Niedelman brings an incredibly positive one to her lengthy battle against squamous cell carcinoma.
"What has helped get me through all of this is a loving family and friends, a great sense of humor, and vowing to myself to be at important family life events," Niedelman wrote. "I promised myself and my family that I would be at the Bar Mitzvah of my triplet grandsons last October, and now my goal is to attend my grandson's wedding next June. The visualization gives me hope and strength."
Meanwhile, former Nevada Test Site worker Sharon Mae Halat fights an amazing battle with lung and liver cancer.
"I have a very rare form of fourth-stage cancer of the lung and liver, which I got from working at the Nevada Test Site. Nobody has yet to survive it. I am the first, and nobody can believe it. They have gotten rid of the lung cancer and now I am working on the liver.
"Your daughter and I are both fighters and tough cookies, as my doctor would say, with a lot of heart and a positive attitude. She wishes all her patients would have the same positive attitude. She says that is one of the main tools for fighting this disease. Your daughter is an inspiration to everyone and should be applauded for her courage at such a young age. When you hit a bump in the road of life and life hands you a bunch of lemons, you need to turn it into lemonade, and that is exactly what I have done. I always say that I am going to stick around to annoy everyone."
I'm with Sharon on that.
Any club that encourages its members to remain their ornery, optimistic selves sounds like the perfect organization for me.
You can email John L. Smith at Smith@reviewjournal.com.
