By Michelle Church
Recently, I was given the honor of speaking with several inspirational community members. Cancer has impacted their lives but it never stopped them. They are a reminder that life is always worth fighting for, even when it’s the hardest thing you’ll ever go through. The absolute positivity that shone through my conversations with them is inspiring. These people and their families did not just survive cancer; they conquered it.
There are some lessons to be learned; the days we think are bad days are not always as bad as they seem. We don’t really know what we can get through unless we are tested. Strength can be internal, and it can also come from the love of friends, family, pets, and support groups.
Going through bad times reminds you of what is important in life. The power of positive thinking is a point that was emphasized by every person with whom I spoke.
In the words of Emily Dickinson:
“’Hope’ is the thing with feathers-
That perches in the soul-
And sings the tune without the words-
And never stops-at all-”
Now, I would like to introduce you to Kaiden Wooten, Sara Laabs, Susan Frye, and Jacqueline Moschetta-Warren.
Kaiden Wooten was diagnosed with childhood cancer at the age of four. This year has been a milestone for Kaiden; it will be eight years since he went into remission. He is now a healthy sixth grader. His mother Leslie will never forget this difficult time in her family’s life. Leslie was pregnant with her second child when they received Kaiden’s diagnosis. She stated how important it is to “stay strong, keep the faith and take it one day at a time.” Their family and friends surrounded the family with support during this time. Even when family was unable to visit Kaiden, they showed their love by mailing cards and sending presents.
Leslie is grateful for the amazing nurses at the hospital that did so much for Kaiden’s morale. Kaiden loved being involved with Relay for Life. He also enjoyed doing crafts. Leslie stressed the importance of the help she received from a group called Child Life. Child Life’s mission is to “provide information and support during hospitalization and outpatient treatment.” They are child specialists who help to make the environment normal for pediatric patients. The children can enjoy bedside activities, the specialists will work with them to find activities they will enjoy. The Child Life specialists help them to “cope better with their hospitalization and treatment, including finding things to do that are fun.”
Leslie also found support through an online pediatric cancer community on social media. She said there are many groups available and that she can’t emphasize enough what a wonderful resource the groups were; it was very helpful to talk to others going through the same issues.
Leslie says this time in her life has taught her to “enjoy the smaller things” and not to take days for granted.
Sara Laabs’ story is one about the power of the vows “in sickness and in health.” Sara was diagnosed with lymphoma in September 2019, while she was engaged to be married. Her wedding took place shortly after her diagnosis on October 12, 2019. Two weeks later, Sara was undergoing surgery.
It’s hard to imagine experiencing such highs and lows so closely together. Sara said one of the thoughts that gave her strength at this time was her desire to live a healthy life. Sara was picturing a life with her husband and the children she wanted someday. These thoughts of a beautiful future around the bend helped to pull her through the bad days.
Sara had quite the supportive group of family helping her through. She is very grateful for help given by her husband, mother, father, two siblings, and mother-in-law. Sara was unable to take any medication for a month before surgery. She remembers being tired a lot and the ways that her family gave assistance. Sara said her mother-in-law regularly brought her food. Her mom helped with housework. Since Sara’s own experience, a friend of the family was diagnosed with cancer. Sara says that they are in constant contact. She is now able to offer wisdom and words of advice to help someone else.
Sara shared the importance of trusting yourself and going to see a doctor if you don’t feel well. She feels that catching her diagnosis early was one of the big reasons she had a positive outcome. She also emphasizes the power of positive thinking. Focus on the good days, not the bad ones, and having a positive attitude will make you stronger in the end.
Susan Frye was diagnosed with uterine cancer in 2013. Susan said that she turned to her family for support during this time and that her “family always stuck around.”
During this difficult time, Susan adopted a puppy to keep her spirits up. Marcy is a “lap dog” who “doesn’t go far from her mama.” The Cancer Treatment Centers of America agree that pets help their caregiver by “easing their anxiety and elevating their mood, offering company and comfort, thereby lessening feelings of isolation and loneliness,” they also provide “a distraction from pain, stress or boredom.”
Another important way Susan’s life has changed since her having cancer; is that she feels like she’s already been through the worst that life can offer. The days since having cancer have all been better than the ones before.
Jacqueline Moschetta-Warren was diagnosed with T-Cell Lymphoma cancer in 1998. She says “family, God, friends, her dance studio, and lots of prayers” helped her the most during this time. She lovingly nicknamed her husband Chad, her mom and her dad as her “Earthly Trinity.” She said she “couldn’t have gotten through it without them. She also mentioned that she and Chad married while she was undergoing treatments. Her love for her family was evident as she spoke.
One of Jacqueline’s personal motivations was dancing. It was very important to her that she kept dancing and working as much as she could. She says she also received “overwhelming support from the community” and from Moschetta Performing Arts Center.
During Jacqueline’s therapy, she moved to New York for treatments. Her connections to home were essential. She took dance classes in the city. She sent videos home. She read a lot. She also loved to listen to music.
Jacqueline says she wouldn’t actually take the experience away, if she had the choice. Going through cancer made her appreciate her family and God’s love more than ever before. A common theme Jacqueline shares with the other survivors is the power of positivity. She said bad days don’t seem as bad any more. She values every day she’s spent in good health.
These inspiring citizens can teach us all that bad days give us strength, and positive thinking gives us more good days than bad.