The Words of Lisa Bonchek Adams
Today I am grateful for a good run and warmer weather yesterday, and an enjoyable movie in "McFarland, USA."
If you read my post yesterday on metastatic breast cancer (MBC), you read about Lisa Bonchek Adams who just died Friday evening. Lisa Adams had a social media presence that included Twitter, Facebook, and her own blog. Her posts ranged from heart-wrenching poems about leaving her family to the difficult details of chemotherapy side effects, clinical trials, and the spread of the cancer that eventually killed her.
I was one of the many thousands she touched with her words and her realism. I believe she helped many, especially those with MBC themselves, and their loved ones. Her posts were sometimes hard to read, but only because she tackled the tough subjects with such a straightforward and direct approach.
She was initially diagnosed with early stage breast cancer in her late thirties. After doing everything she thought she could to improve her odds, including double mastectomies, chemotherapy, and removal of her ovaries, she was NED (no evidence of disease) for nearly 6 years when she found out that her breast cancer had metastasized to her bones. She died at age 45, leaving a husband and three children.
Some may avoid such directness, such consideration of the "what ifs" of life. I chose to read her posts because I learned from them, and because she was an excellent writer. I was also reminded of the deep appreciation I have for my own health today and to not take it for granted.
Cancer remains deadly and baffling. Progress has come, but so many mysteries remain. We need to build on the true awareness and proper funding of research that is needed. Lisa Adams helped advance that true awareness.
She had over 170,000 tweets that she sent out. The two below were ones that she often retweeted.
If you read my post yesterday on metastatic breast cancer (MBC), you read about Lisa Bonchek Adams who just died Friday evening. Lisa Adams had a social media presence that included Twitter, Facebook, and her own blog. Her posts ranged from heart-wrenching poems about leaving her family to the difficult details of chemotherapy side effects, clinical trials, and the spread of the cancer that eventually killed her.
I was one of the many thousands she touched with her words and her realism. I believe she helped many, especially those with MBC themselves, and their loved ones. Her posts were sometimes hard to read, but only because she tackled the tough subjects with such a straightforward and direct approach.
She was initially diagnosed with early stage breast cancer in her late thirties. After doing everything she thought she could to improve her odds, including double mastectomies, chemotherapy, and removal of her ovaries, she was NED (no evidence of disease) for nearly 6 years when she found out that her breast cancer had metastasized to her bones. She died at age 45, leaving a husband and three children.
Some may avoid such directness, such consideration of the "what ifs" of life. I chose to read her posts because I learned from them, and because she was an excellent writer. I was also reminded of the deep appreciation I have for my own health today and to not take it for granted.
Cancer remains deadly and baffling. Progress has come, but so many mysteries remain. We need to build on the true awareness and proper funding of research that is needed. Lisa Adams helped advance that true awareness.
She had over 170,000 tweets that she sent out. The two below were ones that she often retweeted.
"Find a bit of beauty in the world today. Share it. If you can't find it, create it.
Some days this may be hard to do. Persevere."
"Make the most of this day. Whatever that means to you, whatever you can do,
no matter how small it seems."
Such wisdom and grace in those words. Thank you for them Lisa Bonchek Adams.
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