Cancer Overload

This was something I submitted for school, but I find it pretty strong. I know it's long, but I'm sure you'll get something out of reading it. Just skim through it. FIGHT CANCER.

My interpretation of an inspiring leader is one who can combine perseverance, dedication, and be selfless at the same time. If there could be one perfect example, it would be Terry Fox.

Terry started off his life as a regular guy, but always displayed dedication. He worked hard on all sorts of sports teams. He even showed dedication while playing with blocks as a young infant, building castles no matter how many times they fell. However, after the young age of 18, he would show a whole new level of dedication. After acknowledging a tumour in his right leg, diagnosed as osteogenic sarcoma, Terry decided to not allow the disability of his leg amputation to affect him. He would take action and start realizing his dream to run across Canada to fundraise for Cancer research. Running his Marathon of Hope required he beat through the pain and challenges of an amputated leg.

“Maybe that’s why I’ve made it as far as I have – 2,521 miles. If I ran to a doctor every time I got a little cyst or abrasion I’d still be in Nova Scotia. Or else I’d never have started. I’ve seen people in so much pain. The little bit of pain I’m going through is nothing. They can’t shut it off, and I can’t shut down every time I feel a little sore.”

Terry Fox decided from the night before his amputation, he would run with his disability.

“The running I can do, even if I have to crawl every last mile.”

It clearly was not an easy, every day task. After facing the harsh ordeals of chemotherapy, he would begin rigorous training, and run over a total of five thousand kilometres.

“It was then I decided to meet this new challenge head on and not only overcome my disability, but conquer it in such a way that I could never look back and say it disabled me.”

He dedicated himself to the pure charity of cancer research. Through his journey, Terry was offered endorsement deals that could involve as little as driving a certain car at the end of his run. He would not accept these offers, nor any donation with strings attached. Terry wanted every donation to be simple charity and nothing else.

At twenty one years of age, most are still living the last of their teenage years with parties and ignorance. Terry Fox was trying to save others. Though he faced cancer, he was running this race just as much for himself, as for every other person facing cancer.

“I was rudely awakened by the feelings that surrounded and coursed through the cancer clinic. There were faces with the brave smiles, and the ones who had given up smiling. There were feelings of hopeful denial, and the feelings of despair. My quest would not be a selfish one. I could not leave knowing these faces and feelings would still exist, even though I would be set free from mine. Somewhere the hurting must stop... and I was determined to take myself to the limit for this cause.”

Though Terry Fox faced the loss of his leg, pain, and cancer, he always accepted it. He was able to see the bigger picture, and look outside of his own life. Taking the steps he took displayed his dedication to find a cure. This cure was not only for him, but for the entire world. For that, Terry Fox is a true definition of a leader.

“I don’t feel that this is unfair. That’s the thing about cancer. I’m not the only one, it happens all the time to people. I’m not special. This just intensifies what I did. It gives it more meaning. It’ll inspire more people. I just wish people would realize that anything’s possible if you try; dreams are made possible if you try.”

Ten Facts/Statistics on Cancer
(Most of which are approximations)

1. Excluding Lung cancer, the mortality rates for cancer have dropped by 20% for women since 1979.
2. 30% of new cancer cases (18% of which result in cancer death) occur in those aged 20-50 in their most productive stage of life.
3. 40% of Canadian women and 45% of men will develop cancer in their lifetimes.
4. 1 in 4 Canadians will die of cancer.
5. 850 Canadian children (aged 0-14) develop cancer each year.
6. 166, 400 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in Canada this year (42, 100 of which are in Quebec). 73, 800 cases will cause death (19, 700 of which are in Quebec).
7. Breast Cancer and Lung Cancer are the most common cancers in Quebec.
8. The cancer which is least funded for is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women: lung cancer.
9. 3200 Canadians are diagnosed with cancer weekly, while 1419 Canadians die weekly due to cancer.
10. Cancer is the leading cause of early deaths in Canada. 1, 026, 700 potential years of life were lost in 2004 due to cancer.

The fourth statistic is very significant to me. When I really think about it, it makes cancer that much more terrifying. One of every four Canadians will not only be diagnosed with cancer, but die from it. There are four kids in my family, between me and my three brothers. That’s four. I sit with more than four people at lunch every day. With an average of 30 kids in each of my classes, that means 7 or 8 people in each class room. It’s the bluntness of having so many people affected by cancer that makes it so dramatic. It really slaps you in the face to realize it really is that common. Naturally, I try not to think about horrible things with the belief that what is out of thought, is out of mind. However, with a number that is so honest and unforgiving such as 1 in 4, it’s impossible not to realize the reality of cancer. It really displays the devastation of a disease that will affect every citizen in the country, if not directly than by a relative or friend that will be.

Cancer has affected my life not once, but plenty of times. I’ve held the hand of family before they got treatments, I’ve given pep talks to patients, I’ve dealt with the loss of someone due to cancer, I’ve been a shoulder to cry on for a friend who lost a loved one, and most importantly, I’ve been friends with someone who overcame cancer as a child to become a dedicated and successful person today.
Cancer creeps into out lives in many different ways, but I believe if not directly having to deal with cancer, than we most definitely have dealt with indirect versions of cancer.

Truth lays within the saying of giving is better than getting. I want to portray that to everybody participating in the St Thomas Terry Fox Walk-a-thon. I want to give as much as I have to give to make this event successful, in the hope of giving a tiny fraction of what Terry gave. I don’t want to feel overwhelmed or frustrated or tired once during this because Terry didn’t have time for those emotions. My goal is to completely dedicate myself. I want to be able to feel 100% proud at the end of it all, and not have any regrets. I want to give all I have to give, and receive that amount back by being that proud in the end.