Victoria’s Read

April is Cancer Awareness Month. For me, cancer awareness is every day.
The reason is simple: it robbed me of my mother three years ago. My mom was first diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 42. After a mastectomy and removal of some lymph nodes under her arm, chemotherapy and radiation, she was declared a survivor.
Twelve years later, the cancer reared its ugly head again with a vengeance: again, radiation, surgery and chemotherapy with nasty rare side effects. This time though, after a little more than a year of fighting, cancer was declared the winner. As more and more tumors manifested throughout her body, the pain intensified. Morphine in increasing quantities was needed to control the pain.
I would not wish upon anyone the experience of helplessly watching a loved one die: it’s horrible. Fortunately for us, my mom was able to be at home in the weeks before she passed away.
And when she did finally go, she was surrounded by family. I am one of the lucky ones: I was able to spend time with my mom before she died and talk to her about many things. We were able to overcome some usual mother/daughter difficulties, and we were granted the opportunity to get to know each other as women – not just as a mother or as a daughter. One of the regrets I have is that I had scheduled a family photo to be taken before my mom started her treatments and her hair fell out: the photo never happened because my mom wasn’t feeling well that day.
She told me we would have one done “after”. Sometimes “after” never comes. I encourage everyone to become aware; become aware of all the minute amounts of carcinogens that are in just about everything we eat or clean with. My mom didn’t smoke, rarely drank alcohol, and she ate fairly healthy. Why then did it happen to her? Why does it happen to any of us?
In memory of Norma Lashbrook. Miss you, love you, and wish you were here. Let’s make cancer history.
Written by Michelle Lashbrook