A Childhood Cancer Survivor Blogging about the World of Childhood Cancer

Posts tagged ‘Childhood Cancer Survivor’

Dear Cancer,

Dear Cancer,

Three years ago, on December 18, 2007, Dr. Dan called to tell me that my second biopsy revealed your identity– Hodgkin lymphoma. You were so clever in your hiding, so adept in disguising your destruction, that you nearly got away with suffocating me before we even found where you were lurking. I remember a feeling of power over you just learning your name. You became my instant enemy.

You did your very best Cancer, you really did. You fooled my friends, doctors, and most of my family.  You whittled me down to 79 pounds. You brought me to the brink of death time after time and ravaged everything in your path.

What tortures me most is seeing other children suffer and die… and you know that.

But guess what Cancer?

By the Grace of God, I have family, friends, and a medical team who have helped me to rise far above your treacherous grasp. Not only am I out of your grasp, but I am turning around the attack. Yes Cancer, you heard me right. I am out to get you. There is nowhere you can hide.

You know Cancer, every time I share my story, or someone reads Grace: A Child’s Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery, people become more aware of you and the horrors of your existence. The more aware we all become of you, the more money will raise to fund research for your swift demise.  And I haven’t even begun my college education which I plan on dedicating to eradicating you.

Your Glory Days are over Cancer. I advise you to start shopping around for your cemetery plot.

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Nutcracker 2010 Memories

All week-long, the music from The Nutcracker has been playing in my head. After five performances last weekend, it is still with me! I wish that all of you could see how talented the people are who I dance with. Not only are they talented, but I love each of them like they are my sister. It’s an exceptional group of girls who all support one another and never compete with one another. What an amazing environment for growth, and I realize how blessed I am to be surrounded with this kind of support and love.

Rag Doll Oksana and Soldier Melinda

Last year, one of my parts was a Rag Doll, like Oksana here with me in this photo. This year, as part of our soldier dance, we went down on the floor on our rear ends and got back up again. Tricky huh?! I enjoyed being a Soldier:)
 
Next in the performance came my part in Snow. Mom has a tough time making it through Snow ever since three years ago when she sat watching me dance as a Snowflake two days after my biopsy. We had no idea at the time what the Big Blob was inside my chest. I think that song will always make her cry, and watching me dance along with it– well, she is “Toast”! Gotta love moms:) She did tell me that she began dripping tears even before I appeared onstage because Jane and Harmony, the Snow Queens, were dancing from their souls. I loved being a part of Snow– it is always epic with the incredibly beautiful music and of course…
 
 
The Snow!!!!!!!!
 

Nutcracker Snow with Callie and Teagan

 
 
 
 
 
Callie was an incredible Flower Queen and Teagan and I were both Soldiers:) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
And one more dance… Ribbon… ahhh yes, the dance that took every ounce of strength and breath I could gather up!
 

Nutcracker Ribbon Dance with Sarah

 
Bye-Bye Nutcracker 2010. It was great fun!

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Golden Mike for KSBY’s Carina Corral Grey

I received great news today from Carina Corral Grey at KSBY– she won a Golden Mike Award! Golden Mikes are awards given by the Radio & Television News Association of Southern California, and the award she will be receiving at the Award Dinner is for:

TV-17- Best Hard News Series Reporting in Division B. The title of the series is called, “A Child’s Resilience,” and guess what story is included in this?

Published author, dancer, cancer survivor: Nipomo teenager being honored this weekend – KSBY-TV-msnbc.com:
http://www.ksby.com/news/published-author-dancer-cancer-survivor-nipomo-teenager-being-honored-this-weekend/

I am very, very happy for Carina and for KSBY, not only for their award, but for their commitment to air news stories that will bring forth awareness and assistance for kids fighting serious childhood illnesses. I am thrilled that the broadcasting industry obviously agrees with the importance of this issue and with the beautiful way Carina and KSBY put together the stories. I hope this will encourage other reporters to reach out to help our very youngest in need.

Thank you Carina. Thank you KSBY. My sincere and warmest of all congratulations on this well-deserved award.

Carina Corral Grey and Melinda

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The People in My Life

Today, I am thinking about the people in my life. Well, not just today, but every day, I am thinking how I am blessed with so much love.  There are Mom and Dad and Nicholas and Dean and I can’t forget Larry and Snowie and Oreo.

Beyond my immediate family, Gramma & Poppy live nearby, and they are always (yes, I mean it, always!) supportive of whatever I am doing. They come to school events, dance events, my speaking events, and they support me in incredible ways for my book project. Poppy loves to joke;  you know who else loves to joke too! And Gram… she is always thinking of others and together she and Poppy have established themselves as the Grand Prize Best Host and Hostess.  

Searching my heart further, I find Uncle Bruce and Gramma M. and Uncle Jeff and Aunt Sharon and Uncle Greg and Aunt Valerie and all of my cousins who I love to pieces!  I am thankful for school friends, dance company friends, Academy of Dance friends, and now this whole new world of people I have met through my book project.

This “New World” of people happen to be passionate about exactly what I am passionate about.

STOP CHILDHOOD cANCER!

Of course we despise all forms of cancer– we are just focused on stopping the suffering of the children first and foremost. We need to raise awareness of the facts, we need to raise money for research, we need clinical trials, we need less toxic treatments, we need a cure. I want to thank my friends who inspire me each day to work hard to see that major change happens– not later– but now.

The Nunn family, Jennifer Powers, John Gavin, Niki Axford, Susan Blake, Dan Cohen, Bob Piniewski, Joann Nawrocki, Ramona Gail Butler Harris, Carly Boucher, Deliece Hofen, Becca Stapleton, Christine Bouchard, Stacey Eva, Renae Barnes Murphy, Deborah Green Fatheree, Kriszan & Jade, Lois Salter, Christine Becker Barbour, Michelle L., and I have just begun to thank all of you.

I know there are more I am missing on my list. Would you like to join?

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A 13-Year-Old’s Journey from Cancer to Grace

A 13-Year-Old’s Journey from Cancer to Grace.

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Diana and The Chevron Station

For those of you who have read Grace: A Child’s Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery, you may remember a story that took place at our local Chevron Station. Mom and I were on our way to the Cancer Center in Santa Barbara, filling up the car for our daily radiation treatment journeys, when a woman came over to our car. Mom was busy scrubbing the windshield when “Diana” approached her and asked if she could  pray for me. At the time, I was completely bald– not even one wisp of hair dangling from my scalp. Diana proceeded to pray one of the most heartfelt, meaningful prayers I have ever heard in my entire life. With tears flowing down our cheeks as our silver Tundra sped down the freeway on ramp, we then noticed something else… 

Giggle, giggle… have to read Grace!

This moment in time is something I will never forget. And now, I have a brilliant memory to add to this one. One of the girls I dance with on the Nipomo High School Dance Company asked me yesterday, “Do you remember the woman who prayed for you at the gas station?”

“Yes… ” I replied.

“Well, she’s my mom,” she announced.

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh this is so great, so amazing, so incredible! I believe I am going to have the opportunity to wrap my arms around Diana and thank her for reaching out to me with her loving heart. Wish you could see me smiling now:):):)

I love that there are “Dianas” in this world of ours who teach us to not be afraid to share our love and faith with everyone. I am grateful– so grateful– that Diana gave me the gift of her divine prayer that day.

This appreciation in me will last my lifetime.

 

 

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I John 4:7

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God, because God is love.” I John 4:7

I love to begin my Twitter Day with a Bible verse post. I decided that, each day, I will ask God’s spirit to lead me in where He wants me to read. I open to a section, start reading, and when I come upon the verse that strikes me, that is what I post on Twitter. Well, yesterday morning, I chose the above verse. A few hours later, when I arrived home from school, I  walked out to the mailbox to retrieve the mail. Each and every week since I fought cancer, Clearview Methodist Church in Florida has been praying for me and sending me a card of encouragement. The card always has a Bible verse on it.

Guess what Bible verse was on the card?????????????????

No kidding.

It was I John 4:7.

And how many verses are in the Bible???????????

Good one God. Really, really, REALLY good one God! 

By the way, thank you for the spectacular sunset tonight too, God!

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Barry Eva Chat and Magnificent Make-A-Wish

I enjoyed chatting today on Blog Talk Radio with Barry Eva. I absolutely love his voice and the way he speaks! What a lovely and gracious host he is; I had such a good time! He obviously took time and effort to prepare for the interview so that he was able to ask great questions. I hope that listeners learned something about childhood cancer, and I hope that Barry enjoyed meeting me as much as I enjoyed meeting him. I think I might have to start working on my own radio show so that I can invite Barry to have a chat with me! I would like to ask Barry some questions of my own:)

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/across-the-pond/2010/12/02/a-book-and-a-chat-with-melinda-marchiano

 Guess who called yesterday with an update? My amazing Make-A-Wish person, Stefanie, called! I realize that my wish will take awhile to process before I will hear anything, and Stefanie is very thoughtful to let me know that they have not received an answer yet. I truly appreciate the kindness of Make-A-Wish Foundation in helping make this passionate wish of mine come true.

With all of my heart, I know that if my wish is granted, at least one child’s life will be saved.

At least one life. That one life is worth everything I am working for and more.

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Waiting to hear from Make-A-Wish

I haven’t heard a word from Make-A-Wish… not even one word. I have decided I won’t analyze things, or stress about what this means or doesn’t mean. What is meant to happen will happen. Okay, I will admit that I am a teeeeeeeeeensy weeeeeeeensy bit encouraged because I did not receive an immediate, “NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” As each day goes by, I also admit that I imagine myself as a fly on the wall at HARPO Studios as Oprah’s producers scratch their heads and nod at one another in agreement that a show on childhood cancer would be AMAZING!

Okay… imagination is rolling…

After a information-filled Oprah Show that includes CureSearch, Children’s Oncology Group, St. Baldrick’s, and so much more, then Oprah can announce a great big surprise! Oh my gosh, I can see it now– I can really see it!

Oprah announces that her Angel Network is going to build the BIGGEST, BADDEST (yes, BADDEST!) most utterly powerful Childhood Cancer War Machine ever imagined by humankind! She tells her audience how her heart has been moved to make a huge difference in the lives of children with cancer in our country and throughout the world. Oprah goes on to tell all of us how material things are “of this world,” but helping find a cure for childhood cancer is permanent, lasting, and the most worthwhile of all of her missions here on Earth.

It is, in fact, the mission of a true angel. I am still wishing, still hoping, still praying… for Oprah to be the Angel I am seeking.

Oprah Please Do A Show On Childhood Cancer - Our Kids Need Your Help

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Sir Maxwell Kinkaid Nunn The Great

Having my brothers home from college over these past few days has been so much fun! We had a great time at Gramma and Poppy’s on Thanksgiving Day, and we packed in a lot of other fun things, like beach trips and laugh fests.

As fun-filled as this holiday has been, there has been something that has weighed heavily on my heart. The little boy I have written about before, Max Nunn, traveled to heaven on Thanksgiving Day. I know this will sound very funny to most people, but I am not sad at all for Max. I am actually relieved for him that he is no longer suffering. At the same time, I am heartbroken for his family who has to find a way to live their lives without him. I have no doubt that the Nunn family will use their love for Max to continue his mission of raising money for childhood cancer research. The way Max’s family came together to support him through his illness was remarkable, and I have no doubt that their loving family mission will lead to an enormous leap forward in the fight against childhood cancer.

Sweet Max, forever 7, my life is better because you touched it with your love. I never met you face to face, but our hearts have met over and over. We share so much more than our battle with childhood cancer. We share our passion– we share our mission– to stop childhood cancer. Max, your precious hands are at God’s side now…  I ask God to please help guide my hands and my heart here on Earth to see that our mission lives on.

Off in the future, people will look back on history and smile when they read about the little boy who fought cancer with everything he had, not only for himself, but for all other children who would have to follow. And the history books will call this boy who inspired millions in donations that led to research for a cure:

Sir Maxwell Kinkaid Nunn The Great

Christina McGrath

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