The Real Reality TV

I worked in cancer for 4 years. I loved my job, but everyday I thought about cancer. Sure, I was raising money to fight the disease, to work to find a cure, or at least a way to control it. More importantly, I worked with people who had been affected first hand. Family members had fought a battle. Many had won, many had lost. Cancer is a very powerful thing. Very real. And something that still evokes a powerful emotional response within me, despite the fact that I no longer work in the environment daily.

I've been blessed that none of my immediate family or close friends have faced the disease. That's not to say I haven't had friends of friends. Or family of friends. I've known many people who put up very triumphant fights, and sadly, the fight has not always been enough.

I ran the Boston Marathon twice for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. I did my own fundraising, inspired by those that I worked with, those that were working so hard to find a way to conquer cancer. I wanted to do my part - but I want to do more. We all need to do more.

Where is this coming from? I'll be honest and tell you it came from television. I watch Brothers & Sisters - it's on Sunday nights at 10 pm. This show has brought me to tears. In fact, there are uncontrollable streams coming down my cheeks as I write this. The show is incredibly realistic, heartfelt, something that many people can unfortunately relate to. I just watched last nights episode and it reminded me of how real this disease is. How much it affects a person, a family, a friend - a stranger. The story line involves a main character facing stage four lymphoma. In the episode, her hair began to fall out, so she shaved her head. A song by The Fray became the soundtrack for the process - and the cumulative partnership of the plot and the music led me to this state. This state in which I realize that what I'm watching is a televised version of real life. Real women who are forced to shave their head because of cancer. Real women, and real men - real families who are dealing with such a traumatizing battle.

After working in a field in which cancer is the center of my day, the motivation behind my work, the reason that I had a job, I've realized that the role it plays in my life is large. And while I'm blessed that I've been free from this disease, and that my family has avoided it's rearing head, we can never be certain for what the future holds.

So to anyone that reads this that may have felt the affects of cancer in one way or another, please, have hope, please, be strong, and please make some contribution, no matter how big or how small, whether it's volunteering or raising money, please help put an end to this disease.

www.dana-farber.org