THE FACES OF CANCER

For Harmony

She is now three years old with the playful vitality returned to her tiny white body. She still wears the chemo port under her skin, a lump of reminder that remission doesn’t always mean over and done. Leukemia. The word stands alone with cancer. She was so pale and deplete, near death before they diagnosed the disease. A two and a half year plan of treatments were presented, radical changes for everyone in the family. A cloud of fear followed us daily.
Repeated trips to the Emergency Room would be common and fever would call for hospital stays. Financial challenges would overwhelm the family. Physically and emotionally draining; the leukemia ate on the parents most of all. A strange bond would be developed at the Children’s Hospital among families of the leukemia kids. Crying; none of us ever would get used to that sound of a hurting child.
With all the modern video games and hi-tech toys, we enjoyed coloring most of all. A 24 pack of Crayolos and a $1 coloring book sprawled out on a hospital bed trying to stay between the lines. Giggles and loud laughter, such good medicine for a little blonde-haired three year old girl.
Her hair has grown back now. The temporary onion head look which called for doo-rags and caps has been replaced with lots of curls. The yo-yo weight loss then gain from steroids is now but a memory. You still can’t help but hold her, carry her, smother her pink cheeks with kisses and an occasional tear.
Prayers numbered in the thousands; begging, trusting, interceding for a child so dependent and innocent. Faith was tested love asks why? We knew our opening and closing of doors in the room did not mean God ever left. Love never fails (I Cor. 13:8) and God is Love. All of life was left in His hands.
Dedicated nurses seem to have a gift of patience beyond measure. No way possible can we thank the angels in scrubs, who feed, bathe, medicate and treat the cancer children. We would never leave that we didn’t feel guilty, fearful, hopeful and grateful walking to the parking lot.
Faces of cancer are all ages and races of people. Tired faces of parents. Professional faces of nurses and doctors. Curious face siblings. Yet, for me, it is the face of a three year old granddaughter named Harmony that put a personal face on cancer. A happy face now. Never can cancer be the statistics of a medical journal again when your family has been touched and…whose family hasn’t?
Support Relay for Life, Rev. Larry D. Sparks

Note: At present time treatments continue but it is in remission. A trip to Disney World is planned for this fall through MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION. All of those spinal taps, bone marrow tests, shots, drawing of blood and tears; they deserve it. Whatever we can do to run the Relay with them, we will, we will.