• Just between us

Thursday, October 23, 2008

We have all been touched

posted by BOFarrell at 8h09

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It was June. Summer was about to begin. And I remember, it was a Monday.
The phone rang. It was my brother.

You know, there was a time when I had to specify which brother was calling. But I don’t any more. That took a long time to get used to. It’s funny how the little things always stick with you.

The conversation started, much like it always does. We chatted about nothing. And then it came – a pause. We never pause unless there is something really wrong. And then he said it. He had been told he had cancer.

I’m not quite sure how the rest of the conversation, or the day, went. It’s true what they say, the C-word is a tough one to get over.

You hear it all the time, but it never directly involves you – until it does.
A few weeks later, I met with the women who are the moving force behind the West Island Cancer Wellness Centre. They asked the question, Have you been touched by cancer?

At first, I thought it was odd. Why didn’t they say: Have you ever had cancer? Or, do you know anyone who has cancer? No. They asked: Have you been touched by cancer?
It made it strangely uncomfortable because, all of a sudden, it was about me.
If they had asked what I thought were the more appropriate questions, I could keep the whole thing at arm’s length. But by asking that question, it was, all of a sudden, very personal. And I wasn’t ready for that. At least not publically.

Cancer is an incredible thing. It doesn’t just ravage its victims. It also affects an entire circle of people who are involved with the individuals it attacks.

And then it begins: The cancer experience. It’s amazing what you learn – about the disease, the person who is being treated and how you are expected to deal with it all.
I have been touched by cancer. It has entered my inner circle.

That is why you will see a green leaf on the back of my car. It’s a magnet, a symbol of support for the West Island Cancer Wellness Centre.

The centre has not opened yet. It’s still in the planning stages. And the magnets are just one of the ways the group behind the effort are raising funds. But they are on their way. The leader of the pack, Debbie Magwood, has a vision. She wants to create a place that helps people touched by cancer navigate the experience. Cancer is so much more complex than a medical condition.

The magnets are on sale now. I hope you put one on your car. When you do, post a picture of it on this site. Let's spread the word.

To learn more about the wellness centre, go to www.wicwc.org

Brenda O'Farrell