Elephants and Tea - June 2022 - 12

Dear Cancer...
DEAR CANCER, IT'S ME
SHANNON CARTY
Dear Cancer,
It's me. The one your cells decided to affect with your invasive takeover.
It's me. The one you decided would fight your battle. It's me. The
one that is now advocating for those who cannot anymore. It's me.
The one who cannot fathom why you chose her to survive. It's me.
Do you recognize me? Because some days you make it hard for me to
recognize myself.
They say to expect the unexpected, but I did not realize that these
terms would be the unexpected for me. After my diagnosis, I found
it difficult to grasp your concept. I did not realize what torture
you had just involuntary signed me up for when my body became
associated with your disease. Why do you put innocent humans
through your intensity? There is no justified reason for the fact that
I am the one suffering through your battle.
I always heard about how hard it is to be diagnosed with your
disease, to battle your disease, and the invasive medicines that are
associated with your disease. So, what didn't I hear about you that
has left the biggest impact on my mind, body, and soul? Not enough
people discuss the constant daily battle with yourself to destroy
this disease that has formed within you, even after you physically
left my body. Four years post treatment, and I am still left with
constant battles in my brain to be OK with what happened. I am
expected to be " normal " again after I fought your battle, but every
single day I am left questioning my own self-worth. You destroyed
me, but that does not mean I am going to let you win.
So, I don't think dear is the correct word for cancer. It is not a
dear disease, and it does not deserve that acknowledgement. So,
what words can I gather to make sense of you? Truth be told, I do
not believe anyone can truly comprehend you. I do not even think
I have been able to understand my own journey with you. I say
with the utmost respect that you will not understand my cancer
journey, and I will not understand yours, but this is not our fault.
No two cancer journeys are quite the same. However, one thing I
do not believe-rather what I know about each cancer journey-is
that each fighter conquers you. Though we do this with different outcomes,
I have never seen a person lose their battle to cancer. Because
collectively, we are not letting you win, cancer. All cancer fighters
battled you, and that is a hopeful win for all of us as a community.
RESILIENT
For some, you are a life sentence, and what gives you this right?
I never realized the burdens that would come with my outcome of
survival, and I can't fathom why I was chosen to survive. What I
do know is that my battle gave me a purpose, one that I care about.
Arguably, it is my top priority and passion being a survivor. Because
as a survivor, the opportunity to use my first-hand knowledge and
words to express what others cannot because of you is my main
mission. I know that the passion behind my mission to help others
who are battling what I battled will make a difference in this
community, and this is a sign of hope for us all.
So dear cancer, it's me. I am angry with you. It's me. The one that
won't let you win. It's me. The one who knows that the ones you
have taken as a victim have risen above your low blow. It's me. The
one whose life has completely changed, because of you. It's me. The
one who now sees that you will not take me away from me.
SHANNON CARTY IS 21 YEARS OLD AND IS GRADUATING FROM A COLLEGE IN PHILADELPHIA
THIS MAY WITH A DEGREE IN SOCIOLOGY AND INTERDISCIPLINARY HEALTH SERVICES. EVER
SINCE HER CANCER DIAGNOSIS AT AGE 16, SHE HAS FELT A POWERFUL CONNECTION TO THE
CANCER COMMUNITY AND THE EFFORTS TO HELP THOSE AFFECTED BY THE DISEASE. SHE
HAS BEEN CANCER FREE FOR WHAT WILL BE FIVE YEARS ON AUGUST 2, 2022. ASIDE FROM
PURSUING MISSIONS TO HELP OTHERS OVERCOME CANCER, SHE ALSO WORKS WITH CHILDREN
AND YOUNG ADULTS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM, AND IS ALSO AN IRISH DANCER!
12
ELEPHANTSANDTEA.COM
JUNE 2022
http://www.ELEPHANTSANDTEA.COM
Elephants and Tea - June 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Elephants and Tea - June 2022
