The Faces Of Cancer by Judy T. Lloyd (electric book reader txt) 📕

reaction on the faces of the choir when one survivor breast appliance fell off and hit the floor? That is a face of cancer. Relay For Life is where you have fun and share stories with each other.

How could we forget each town mayors kissing the pig. The pig was not impressed with two of the mayors which goes to show that a politician can't always sell slop to a pig. Or is it the times but we thank Joe Morrisette,Hank Crittenden and Billy Coleburn for their gracious participation. They are the pictures of those who are caring and caregivers. Billy Coleburn was very helpful in taking pictures of the event and keeping everyone informed. His father is a survivor.

If asked who has been affected by cancer, the answer would be is there anyone who hasn't been. You will see even before you read this that one in three people will either have cancer of have a relative with cancer. So you too are the face of cancer.

Cancer is a disease composed of over one hundred other diseases. There are many forms of cancer. Breast cancer is one that is often talked about but other cancers occur just as rampantly and sometimes we do not know what started the gene that turned into cancer. Corene Knicely for example was very active in church and worked a lot with EMAUS. After Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans she went down with others to help feed the stricken. Corene came back with what they term "the Katrina Cough" Not long after that she discovered that she had breast cancer. She also had lung cancer as for why her at this particular time no one knows. She is also the face of cancer.

You would think well good people don't get sick this way. That has always been a serious bone of contention with me. I was once asked.
"What did you do wrong that you got cancer."
"I do not know but I do know that I will go to prison if you ever dare speak to me again." Unfortunately that person died from cancer which I regret.
But consider Doris Vandal Holman that is Dr. Vandal Holman who is a retired school teacher and Cumberland County Rescue Squad Volunteer along with the fact she is an National Chaplain who works with the Red Cross. She is both a lady and a tiger. She has counseled more people and helped them than I can count. She is a survivor and hers is the face of cancer. I say lady because she can baptize a baby and hold the hand of the dying with compassion. She is a tiger and if you think that she suffers fools lightly you are mistaken. Just watch her when someone dares to hurt one of her natural children and the many children she holds in her heart.

I remember Mrs. Annie Wright a ninty-eight year old lady who died while I was her caregiver of brain cancer. Mrs. Wright loved to play her organ and even played after she was sick. Her son had put it in her room in his home but she could not play the last days of her life. The Hospice nurse and I sang to her favorite song entitled "I Know I Have Been Sealed To The Day Of Redeemption." She lifted her fingers to air play the song as she was dying. I know she was sealed to the day of redeemption too. She was the face of cancer.

There were those of us who remembered Swan Boswell,Mrs. Sally Wingo, Lisa Morris, Hucky,Wayne Rickman and so many others who lived in Nottoway and sadly died of cancer. It seemed so unfair but then I do not know of anything that is fair.

When you ask what is the face of cancer, look around you and you will see it. You will see it in the mother,the army officer,the child and you will see it in the eyes of those who deal with and fight cancer everyday.

You will see it on the faces of those on the front cover and you will see it on the faces of the famous and not so famous. This year Farrah Fawcett,Ted Kennedy,Patrick Swayze died from cancer. Yet the race goes on and we continue to walk the walks praying as we go. We pray that next year there won't be new faces walking.

The reality is we will see them, but more and more these days the survivors are celebrating birthdays. I survived my 61st birthday. While there were others in my family that did not, I will walk. I will walk as long as one person is told that they have cancer. Many others have walked the path before me and they perserved. Many have left carbon footprints of their life, but none were the lesser. We will walk for those whose faces we will not see at the next Relay For Life.

Would I Have Walked Differently

By Judy T. Lloyd

Would I have walked differently than I did today?
In my heart there are so many words I liked to say.
Would I have walked with giants instead of mere men?
I have walked with giants who were men and would do so again.

Would I have walked while others mourn?
I will walk because of him that was born.
He walked a different path to save us.
Would I have walked differently had I Known?

I believe that I would have walked no different than today.
I would have walked by myself just to say.
I would not walk differently had I known.
I would have walked even if no son had shone.

Yes I would have walked the same way because
of what you did today.
I would have walked laughing and crying all the way.
I would have walked and then kneel to pray.

To those that ever walk in a Relay For Life and to those that walked with us on June 14, 2009 the path is still there. Many names will be on bricks to remember them and to honor others. To those that are planning a Relay For Life in your community, I commend you.

WE WALK FOR LIFE

WE ARE THE FACES OF CANCER.

Light The Candle

By Judy T. Lloyd

Oh dear Lord before I go to bed tonight.
Let me light a candle so bright.
One to shine for those have gone before.
One to shine to open the door.
For each candle has a name.
We have only to see them in the flame.

Imprint

Text: I reserve exclusive rights to this book and I give publishing rights to BookRix.
Publication Date: 12-26-2009

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
I dedicate this book to all of the Nottoway County Relay For Life teams,survivors,caregivers who made the Relay work,