Anyway

I was introduced last week at the Sirtex National sales meeting as my favorite song, "Anyway" by Martina McBride, welcomed me to the stage. I had goosebumps as I listened to the song and knew again that her words were meant for me. This meeting feels much more like a family reunion than a business trip. I'm grateful and humbled to be asked back to share my story each year. There are familiar faces here; individuals that played a very integral role in my being treated with Sir-spheres. They are old friends that changed the course of my cancer journey and in essence, the direction of my life. There are others who have encouraged me to keep on going through thick and thin and to follow my dreams. To all of them, I am extremely thankful. I have reached many a dream in the years since my treatment with these "little magic beads" and I have seen others find similar hope. I shared an incident that had happened and how this one song relates to so many life moments.Ronnie and I were walking on the beach the day before and met a woman while making our way down the steep and winding path. She and I began a conversation so Ronnie left us to our chatter. The discussion started rather simply but soon turned to the reason we were in California and to the very talk I was now giving. I finished telling her my story and she said sadly that her sister also has cancer that has spread to her liver. She quietly acknowledged that she had lost all hope until meeting me. We reached the bottom of the trail and hugged. As we parted ways, we looked up and there stood Ronnie - ankle deep in the ocean - with HOPE etched beautifully in the sand before us. My new friend looked up with tears streaming down her face and proclaimed in a whisper that God had just answered her prayers.My talk came back to the present. The words of "Anyway," that have come to mean so much to me, echoed through my mind:"You can chase a dream

That seems so out of reach

And you know it might not ever come your way

Dream it anyway."In spite of terminal cancer, I continue to dream. On Saturday night, during the National Women's Survivor Convention, I'll be backstage with hundreds of other sister survivors at The Grand Ole Opry. My cheers will mingle with theirs as yet another dream comes true when Martina McBride takes the stage. I only hope that she sings, "Anyway!"