When life hits you in the face.

We have all been taught to serve and give, but sometimes you get hit in the face with reality.

Less than 6 months later that same year, Bryan was diagnosed with colon-rectal cancer.  His was stage 4.  How could this be?  Tests and more tests to confirm.  The answers were all the same.  Chemo, radiation, more chemo, and surgery.  How do you work and support a family when you lay in a hospital bed for 14 straight days?
People and kindness came out of the woodwork.  I will never forget going to pay my city bill only to find out that my cousin had paid it.  I never would have thought of that.  People came to clean my house, brought us food, paid our utility bills and many other random acts of kindness were giving to us.

Once again, our amazing children went into action.  They decided to host a dinner to raise money for us.  That was very humbling.  Less than a year after the 5k run fundraiser, the dinner was held.  This time well over 100 people came.  The love and support were as important as the donations that were given.

6 months more of chemo and another surgery, and WALA cancer free.  Life goes back to normal.  Well, at least that’s what the doctor tells us.

Not – how can you ever be the same?  You are changed in more ways that you can describe.  Hopefully, it is like the song says, “changed for the better”.  The best change came from seeing the kindness in others.

That is when the first thought of starting a foundation, to help families having been affected by cancer.