Yes, it is once again September 30, and a lot has not changed in the past 8 years. Our children are still getting cancer, long term effects of chemo are so uncertain, long term life expectancy is low, and, yes, our children are still dying.
September is a time for us to reflect on the families that have traveled this journey. The survivors with uncertain futures, my friends who lost their children to this horrible disease, their children who lost their brothers and sisters to cancer, the grandparents who hurt for the ones not here.
I know that my son would have been an awesome uncle to Cal. I won’t lie it makes me very sad when I think that Cal will not get to “be silly” with his uncle. He will not get to enjoy watching Manchester United soccer games, he won’t get to learn all of his uncle’s “sweet” soccer moves, or the opportunity to just sit and talk with his favorite uncle.
Where will we be next September? How many of your friends and family will join “the club”? We don’t like this club, in fact we hate being part of this club, but the seasoned members are here to help the new members on their journey, a journey they never thought they would be on. We never thought that childhood cancer would be part of our journey - now it is weaved into us-it is part of who we are.
With Hope We Continue To Smile,
Jeanine Aubuchon
President and Founder of CJ's Journey