Grace: A Child's Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery
Dear Oprah,
In my daily letter on this day, I ask you once again to please do a show on childhood cancer. I have read each of the stories posted on the Oprah, Please Do A Show On Childhood Cancer Facebook page since it was born in early September last year. I don’t know how anyone can read the stories and not take action in some way. It seems our society has become lazy, self-centered, and selfish. We wait for others to do what we can do ourselves. We busily pursue our own agendas… turning away from those who desperately need our help.
I know people who have not turned away from the daunting challenge of working toward a cure for childhood cancer. These people are the opposite of lazy, the opposite of selfish. The people I am speaking of are heroes to children with cancer—they are parents who have lost their own child to cancer and still fight on for others. They have created organizations that raise money for research and also help families through the financial/emotional struggles of childhood cancer. I would LOVE to see you feature these heroes on your show. Funny, after I wrote that last sentence, I heard a voice telling me what these heroes would say in response.
They would say that their heroes are the children fighting cancer.
The truth is, Oprah, children fighting cancer need tons of support—medically, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I don’t know what we would do without the individuals who have created Layla Grace Foundation, People Against Childhood Cancer, Alexa Nawrocki Pediatric Cancer Foundation, Alex’s Lemonade Stand, Kids V Cancer, Children’s Cancer Association, Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation, and I know there are more. I cannot express how much I admire these people, not only for what they are doing for children with cancer, but for their courage in taking huge leaps to assist children with cancer in the midst of their grief.
Courage.
Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow. ~Mary Anne Radmacher
Be back again tomorrow,
Melinda
AJ and his Dad, Bob... one of my heroes
Melinda Marchiano 
Comments on: "Courage Despite Grief" (4)
I really cannot believe your beautiful writing and powerful message has not gotten through….perhaps a show such as Childhood Cancer would not get the ratings a celeb would want? Don’t give up…i know you won’t 🙂 We will all keep fighting to get more attention for this unbelievably cruel disease.
Ratings seem to be a big factor… gave me a great idea for my letter tomorrow!
I cannot express how much I appreciate your encouragement to not give up!
I am with you all the way…how can this be ignored?
Great question… how CAN it be ignored? It is much easier to turn away than to comprehend the scope of suffering.
Is there anything harder to cope with than watching a child suffer?
I say yes!
Not doing a thing is much harder to cope with. Awareness will lead to funding for research which will find a cure. Thank you, thank you for your support!