Daemen College : Student Life : Daemen Insight : A Reason for Hope
A Reason for Hope
By Haley Haggerty
Cancer. The one word no one wants to hear come out of a doctor’s mouth to either a loved one or themselves. It’s a single word that can force you to re-evaluate your whole life and wonder if you did all you wanted to do before this tragedy happened. Some people immediately give up and think that this is the end of their lives, but some fight for all they are worth and always look forward into their future. Lance Armstrong, a survivor of testicular cancer, once said, “If children have the ability to ignore all odds and percentages, then maybe we can all learn from them. When you think about it, what other choice is there but to hope? We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up, or fight like hell.”
My Aunt Kathy was one of those fighters. She was diagnosed many years ago with breast cancer and did not give up everything she had worked for in her life, but kept on pushing forward as if nothing could stop her. The love and care she received from everyone, plus her strong will to keep on living her life to the fullest, allowed her to fight through several years of breast cancer and beat it. Even though she was able to conquer the breast cancer, she never paused to think about herself once; she just kept on helping others fight through the pain she went through. She did everything from breast cancer walks to an interview on the news about her journey, and along the way she inspired all of her family and friends to join her in her crusade against cancer.
A few months ago it was discovered that Kathy’s cancer had metastasized -- spread throughout her body -- and she was only given a few months to live. This news was shocking to everyone, and we all feared the worst. But Kathy, who was strong as ever, told everyone not to worry about her and to have faith. Kathy fought as hard as she could, but it wasn’t enough to keep her in this world this time. Even in her last few days, she still managed to yell at me and my mother for our “mopey faces” looking down on her because she “wasn’t gone yet.” That is the Kathy I will always know and love; the woman who was so strong and selfless that she was, and still is, an inspiration to us all.
So, in light of the holiday season, be selfless and reach out to others who may need your help. Follow my Aunt Kathy’s example and be the strength for others as we all journey through hard times in our lives.