A couple of weeks ago an old friend from high school posted on Facebook about a need for his company wanting people to come in and help with a campaign for cancer.
My friend works for Qualtrics, the company that is currently the patch sponsor for the Utah Jazz with the cancer charity, Five for the Fight. Last Thursday I went to Qualtrics HQ in Provo, UT and met my friend there.
I participated in a photo shoot by writing the name of someone I knew who has been affected by cancer on my hand and holding it up with a straight face for the camera. I chose to write “Eleanor” on my hand. She’s my grandmother who passed away. Grandma suffered, fought, and survived breast cancer. I’m not sure I was alive when she was going through that time in her life, but I know that my life would have had a huge hole in it had she not overcome it.
I remember when I was younger I would do the Race for the Cure 5K walk with grandma. Even though back then I didn’t understand really what it meant, I always hung on to the memory, and I’m glad I did, because I understand it now.
I didn’t do much last Thursday. Instead of going home to see my family during my lunch hour I drove 30 miles round trip to write my grandmother’s name on my hand and have my picture taken. But it was much more than that. I got to honor a special lady, my grandmother. I got to honor a piece of her life, and I’m proud to have done that.
I don’t know much about cancer. I don’t know why it exists, or what causes it. But I do know that it has the potential to take others away from friends and loved ones. Sure, some survive, but too many don’t. More needs to be done to find a cure and Qualtrics ought to be commended for their efforts to raise money so more research can be done and a cure can be found.
The Latter-day Life 