“Oh, it’s a long, long while from May to December
But the days grow short when you reach September
When the autumn weather turns the leaves to flame
One hasn’t got time for the waiting game
Oh, the days dwindle down to a precious few
September, November
And these few precious days I’ll spend with you
These precious days I’ll spend with you
September Song
My ex sister in law died last week. She was 51.
About three weeks ago my friend’s wife passed. She was 47.
Both brave women had cancer. The same disease that took my mother 17 years ago at the age of 59.
My “second dad”, my best friend’s father lost his battle with mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Last week marked the 10th anniversary of his passing.
To say I hate cancer is an understatement. I also fear it, support charities that fight it and pray every day for a cure.
I also pray for families struggling with the disease.
We get caught up in the little stuff. We all do.
We shouldn’t.
Cancer is awful, but it will focus you in a hurry; make you concentrate on the things that really matter. Like love. Like friendship. Like family.
The week before last wasn’t an easy one. On Sunday, on my way to a Rosh Hashanah dinner, I learned that my credit card was compromised. Again. A day later while driving on US 1 in Boca I was struck by a driver who just slammed into me near Spanish River Boulevard. He sped off. Nice.
But when you get a call that a loved one has passed at such a young age it floors you. And just like that the little things seem trifling.
You get another credit card. You fix the scrapes on your car door. These are little things.
My former sister in law, a beloved aunt to my children and a friend of mine and just about everyone she ever met, had passed at age 51 after a brave bout with cancer. There are no words.
We are fortunate in Boca and Delray to live in a community with strong hospitals and cancer support services.
All of our hospitals, Delray, Boca, Bethesda and West Boca, provide oncology services. FAU and several local bio tech institutes are engaged in meaningful research related to cancer.
These efforts and other charitable endeavors deserve our attention and support.
Progress is being made in the fight to find a cure, but we are still losing far too many people to this awful disease. Way, way too many.
Sincere condolences.