Have you ever had a best friend that you can tell anything to? Ask a question and know you'll get an honest answer that no one else will tell you? Have "your best friend always sticking up for you even when you know your wrong"? I am blessed to say I have one of those since I was about 4 years old. She has quite the story.
I came across this in my news feed and realized how important this was to my life and many others. Never would I had known how important this statement was until just recently. Let me explain....
In July of last year my best friends family learned of a battle they would have to fight. A battle that they fought with all their heart without regrets. Something I admire most about them. Her husband was diagnosed with Leukemia. The battle was the hardest to watch. Not knowing what to do or say. Just praying everyday that everything would be OK.
His story is so inspiring and has changed my life forever. He has changed so many lives for ever. His legacy of his fight, his love for his children and wife, his excellent work ethic and so much more about him.
I am writing this for a couple of reasons.
1. To express the importance of watching what chemicals you expose yourself too. Julie has started a blog about many different aspects of her journey including the dangers of chemicals and their relation to cancer and other problems. Benzene is known to cause blood cancers such as Leukemia.
*Please subscribe to her blog Anti-Chemical Mom. Lots of good information and I'm sure as life settles down for them she will be posting more.
2. How to save a life.
"Donating marrow can give someone a future - a chance to overcome leukemia or other life-threatening diseases. Thousands of people of all ages in need of a transplant won’t make it without the help of others.
Everyone has the power to help: join the registry, make a financial contribution, volunteer, donate umbilical cord blood or spread the word.
Take the first step at www.BeTheMatch.org"
It's that simple. To save a life of a husband, wife, child, grandparent, parent, friend, anyone. Brad was given an extra fighting chance because of the selfless act of a stranger.
Last year I had the pleasure of working next to Be The Match by creating a donor registry sight at an event I held the same day as their Walk + Run in Phoenix. I am beyond ECSTATIC that I will be meeting with the event supervisor this Monday while she is in town to work WITH them at their Walk + Run this year. Its such an amazing opportunity to be able to honor Brad's life by continuing to create awareness in any way I can.
To end this I would like to share with you a poem that was read at Brad's funeral.
The Dash
by Linda Ellis copyright 1996
I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on the tombstone
from the beginning…to the end.
He noted that first came the date of birth
and spoke the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.
For that dash represents all the time
that they spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved them
know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own,
the cars…the house…the cash.
What matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our dash.
So, think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
that can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough
to consider what’s true and real
and always try to understand
the way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we’ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect
and more often wear a smile,
remembering that this special dash
might only last a little while.
So, when your eulogy is being read,
with your life’s actions to rehash…
would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent YOUR dash?
This poem was very near and dear to Brad before his passing. Because of that a group of us honored him in another way as well. It was an honor to be apart of it.
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Labels: be the match, chemicals, donor, leukemia, save a life, the dash
