The 'Gift' of Cancer

This poem describes not just what cancer can took from me, but rather the tremendous gift it was.

It changed my entire life for the better.

I hope that those that are newly diagnosed can see that it is not always the tragedy you expect it to be.

GIFT

You are told you have cancer

Your breath stops

The world as you know it stops

You ask, "Am I going to die?

What is it going to take from me?"

It took my health

It took part of my body

But it gave me more than it took away

Cancer gave me a new world

Cancer gave me strength I didn’t know I had

Cancer gave me a voice I didn’t know I had

Cancer gave me focused purpose I didn’t have before

Cancer gave me the opportunity to help others

In a way I had never done before

Cancer gave me a gateway to medical research

Cancer gave me friends who shared a common fear

Cancer gave me colleagues who wanted to make this world better

Cancer gave me courage to become the new me

It did not take my life

It gave me a new life

Thank you cancer.

This poem was originally submitted for the CURE® 2021 Poetry Contest.

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