Holiday Greetings,

This message comes to you on the Winter Solstice, longest night of the year or shortest day of the year, depending on your perspective. Sometimes perspective is everything, especially at times of the year that are charged with memories and emotions that often take us by surprise.

These messages I send periodically are typically written from my perspective as CEO of our wonderful organization. This message comes to you from my perspective as an individual who has lost two dear friends this year to the brutal and indiscriminate ravages of cancer. After watching those two people fight valiantly (including participating in clinical trials), and seeing them ultimately pass on, it would have been easy to say they “lost” their battles – and there were indeed dark times when I succumbed to that way of thinking.

In those dark times, however, as I reflected on who they were as warriors with the hearts of angels, light would come and remind me that the work we do is more important than ever. If you are receiving this message, you have contributed in some way to the mission we aspire to which is to empower the people we know and love who are on a cancer journey with every bit of ammunition conceivable to give them a fighting chance. Thank you for being on that journey with them and with us. Your support helps me remember to look for the light when I hear story after story from others whose loss and struggle are just like mine.

Cancer truly is indiscriminate; it cares nothing for race, wealth, or religion. While there are some questions we can ask that have answers, there are some that leave us wanting and confused. In those times I am reminded of the words from a song from my Irish roots which urge me to remember those we have lost…if we forget, then their light is diminished and the work we do, tarnished:

“So fill to me the parting glass and gather as the evening falls
And gently rise and softly call goodnight and joy be to you all.
Ah but since it fell into my lot that I should rise and you should not
I’ll gently rise and softly call good night and joy be to you all.”
(The Parting Glass)

Let us raise a glass to each other and all our companions on this journey that is made so much easier by walking it together.

May there be light in your life during this season of sometimes-joy, sometimes-sadness.

Peace,