Personal note
Jul/Saturday/2008 12:48 AM Filed in: LIVESTRONG
This year the Summit began on an emotional note
again. Last year in the opening session I learned of
a colleague losing her battle with cancer, who I had
planned to be with during the week, preparing for a
presentation we were doing together at ACSM. It
reminded me of the reason I was there in a very
personal way. She was a strong, caring woman who
dedicated her life to helping other survivors live
healthy lives after a diagnosis.... Karen Hornbostel
from Littleton, Colorado.
Ironically, this year, I received a call from a relative in Littleton, Colorado, minutes before the opening session (I live in NC, by the way, and have never lived in Colorado, so that is the irony), telling me of their 18 month old granddaughter being diagnosed with neuroblastoma. The unfairness of children dealing with such a disease, as well as the parents, family, and loved ones is just too much to bear. But again, my purpose for being here became clear.
I promised I would do what I could to gather answers for them, explaining that this might be difficult, because the focus with LIVESTRONG is adult cancers. As I entered my “advocacy” learning track for the weekend, the 150 in this auditorium were divided into 15 groups. Out of the 1000 delegates, there was a physician in my group who wrote her thesis on neuroblastoma.
What I know for sure, is that sometimes, there are plans in our lives, that we have no idea about. There are things that happen that are more than coincidence. I also know that I am surrounded by passionate people who are leading this war on cancer as a unified group, and I am grateful. Mike, our thoughts and prayers are with your family.
Ironically, this year, I received a call from a relative in Littleton, Colorado, minutes before the opening session (I live in NC, by the way, and have never lived in Colorado, so that is the irony), telling me of their 18 month old granddaughter being diagnosed with neuroblastoma. The unfairness of children dealing with such a disease, as well as the parents, family, and loved ones is just too much to bear. But again, my purpose for being here became clear.
I promised I would do what I could to gather answers for them, explaining that this might be difficult, because the focus with LIVESTRONG is adult cancers. As I entered my “advocacy” learning track for the weekend, the 150 in this auditorium were divided into 15 groups. Out of the 1000 delegates, there was a physician in my group who wrote her thesis on neuroblastoma.
What I know for sure, is that sometimes, there are plans in our lives, that we have no idea about. There are things that happen that are more than coincidence. I also know that I am surrounded by passionate people who are leading this war on cancer as a unified group, and I am grateful. Mike, our thoughts and prayers are with your family.