Monday, November 8, 2010

Thank you for blogging about Sarah D.!

A big thank you to Angela from Just waffling...

and

Sarah at One Real Thing

for blogging about my friend Sarah Dinsmore who is working through her recent diagnosis of gastric cancer. You can read her story here. And my recent posting about her and our friendship here.

Thank you so much for putting her at the front of people's minds and hearts.

Your words are the best medicine that exists.

With love,

Jan

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Can cancer be a blessing?

Weird blog title right? Well, you might not think so after you read this excerpted blog from my friend Sarah.

Sarah has been my friend for 15+ years. She was there for me when my daughter Izzy was born and she was with me with hugs and support when I was diagnosed with both forms of my own breast cancer. Sarah has always been there for me.

Sarah has just been diagnosed with advanced stomach cancer and I sat with her in the oncologist office two weeks ago while she heard the most devastating news any person can imagine hearing. Her two daughters collapsed into tears as we all hugged and tried to imagine how life could possibly go on. Through it all, my dear friend Sarah kept her chin up and said "no". "This isn't me he's talking about."

The very next day, Sarah came to my Healing Yoga class and spent the entire hour comforting my other students and offering advice and compassion regarding their problems or concerns. Not ONCE did she mention what we had gone through less than 24 hours before. This is why my friend Sarah is so beloved and deserving of tremendous support. She cries over other cancer patients who don't have the love and support that she has.

Would you please consider spreading the word about her? She has ZERO financial resources and barely lives paycheck to paycheck. To be honest, I had no idea it was this bad. I'm embarrassed to say that I thought she was doing "ok". Not great but getting by. Now I realize that in the midst of all of this, she might not be able to pay for rent or food let alone costly medical treatments. Can you imagine feeling "blessed" in the midst of this?

If you feel you could, please, please consider posting about her and spreading your network open for her.

The website I designed for her is: http://sarahdsays.weebly.com

Prayers, good wishes, and small donations can literally change Sarah's life right now. She can focus on healing and keep on counting all of the blessings in her life.

Thanks so much for ALWAYS being such wonderful and caring friends,

Jan