CANCER SURVIVORS DAY AT FRANKLIN SQUARE HOSP

I had not intended to go to the Cancer Survivors Day event at Franklin Square Hospital Center ("FSHC"), but I wound up there anyway. It is a long and interesting story, but the short version is that I was out with friends for a special event and sort of wound up at the Cancer Survivors event by accident. My friends and I were out with Rev. Cheri Smith. She has been a good friend to me while in treatment and is also the Director of the Pastoral Care Department at FSHC. She had to be at FSHC at 2:30 pm and we were all in the same car. Suddenly we were running late and rushing to get Rev. Cheri to FSHC and I finally asked her what she was going to. When she said that she was giving the Benediction at the Cancer Survivors Day event at FSHC, I was surprised - not that she would be giving the benediction, but because I had actually known about it, but had forgotten all about it! Well, we drove fast and got Rev. Cheri there in the nick of time and then we stayed for the event. It was odd, when we entered, I was asked if I was a "cancer survivor" and I hesitated before answering. It was strange - I am not sure why I hesitated. At this point in my life, I am a cancer survivor twice over. I had the gift of ten years after the first diagnosis and although I have been in treatment since this second diagnosis, I have survived (so far!) these last 11 months. Wow - yes, I am a cancer survivor - twice over! The guest speaker at the event was a young man named Owen Applequist. Not only was Adam a cancer survivor - twice, but he was an organ transplant survivor as well. And he is only 30! He has quite an inspirational story and is a mountain climber - climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro 95 days after finishing his last treatment for non-hodgkins lymphoma (the cancer that I had the first time). The other interesting thing about Owen is that his climbs are fundraisers for different cancer related agencies - one that helps recent cancer survivors to mountain climb, kayak and do other "adventure" sports. [Note: Don't worry - he did not inspire me to climb a mountain - way too cold and strenuous for my liking]. As I told one of the Nurse Managers there, "I have no intention of climbing a mountain, but I think that making an origami dragon is in my future". I am very happy that I attended the event. Rev. Cheri's benediction was very inspirational as well. Sometimes the best days happen "by accident".