A LETTER TO BREAST CANCER

My wife is a 2+ year survivor, and a week after she finished her radiation, she wrote this that I thought should be shared.

Dear Breast Cancer,
I know that you are busy uninviting yourself into hundreds of thousands of women’s lives each year, but I think you will find this letter a shock to your ego.
I want to thank you.
I want to thank you for arriving in my life while I am young, strong, and healthy to fight you.
I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity and the obligation to be knowledgeable about you for myself and for others that might not know of your dirty little secrets.
I want to thank you for opening my eyes to others that suffer at your insistence. May I lead them through and away from you.
I want to thank you for all the new people who have entered my life. My surgeon removed you and left but a trace of your existence. My radiation oncologist arranged it so that with only a slight burn to my skin, all your possible friends have left my body also. My oncologist is helping me fight your return with a simple pill I swallow everyday. Please let us not forget all the nurses, technicians and even office personnel who assisted in this battle against you by holding my hand, giving me a smile or encouraging word. I am in awe of all the survivors I have met who have inspired me and motivated me to always remain hopeful and positive.
I want to thank you for reminding me of the love my husband has for me that will never cease.
I want to thank you for a selfless mother who took care of me while you could only try to weaken me.
I want to thank you for the kindness shown to me in a variety of ways by family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, survivors and even strangers. I will cherish those memories forever as they are now etched in my heart.
I want to thank you for giving me a determination to walk 60 miles in 3 days to raise awareness and money in honor of your destruction. What a wonderful experience that I might have missed had you not entered my life. I will continue that trek each year until you are gone.
I want to thank you for eliminating the word fear from my vocabulary. You are life threatening. I looked you square in the face, fought you and won. What could I possibly be afraid of in this world?
I want to thank you for the many pleasures in my life that have been amplified upon your entrance. This includes: two weeks of vacation to do nothing but sit, sleep, and relax after surgery, a warm blanket before my radiation treatments, a sunset, the changing seasons, chocolate, diet coke, yoga, reading, napping, laughing, holding my pets, wearing the color pink or pink ribbons with pride, another Christmas, another anniversary to celebrate (survivorship), even waiting in line, making mistakes, and being embarrassed.
I want to thank you for helping me understand my priorities in life. I no longer need a bigger house, car or more money. I am grateful for time spent on myself, with friends and family to celebrate anything!
I want to thank you for renewing my faith. It has given me peace, comfort and assurance in the future. God is in control and so much bigger than you. You are but a pebble on my road that has come and gone.
I want to thank you for educating my mind, strengthening my body, and reviving my soul. I continue on to give, live, love and laugh. You have not and will not take that from me.

Sincerely, but never yours,
Tracy David