It's Been A While...

Wow! It's been a long time since I got on here and wrote something.  Over a month.  Time flies, I guess.  Things have been quite crazy around here - mainly with work.  I took on a huge project recently that's quite literally taken up my entire life.  It's something I'm extremely passionate about...can you guess?  That's right, it's about cancer.

A couple months ago, I pitched a proposal to my management about putting together a 30-minute special about the fight against cancer in North Texas.  We're tying it all into the national Stand Up To Cancer which will be airing across many different networks on Friday, September 10th.  Our local special will be airing on Saturday, September 11th.

Within this special, we're profiling local patients who have or currently are standing up to fight cancer.  We're profiling doctors who have made it their life's work to beat cancer.  We're taking a tour of a brand new, state-of-the-art cancer center that will be opening soon in Dallas.  And, we're remembering Leah Siegel - a breast cancer patient I blogged about who passed away recently.  It's 30-minutes full of information, compelling & emotional battles, inspiration, and hope. 

I was talking to a friend of mine tonight about purpose.  He's having trouble figuring out what his purpose in life is supposed to be.  I have to wonder if I've found mine...courtesy of what happened to me and to Jason.  I have such a passion, desire, and frankly a need to talk about cancer - the disease, those fighting it, and those trying to stop it.  The more we talk the closer we get to figuring out a better way to beat it.  It just makes me wonder if all of this happened so that one more voice - a voice with the opportunity to take to the airwaves - would be added to the chorus of millions of other voices already screaming. 

I have put my heart and soul into this special.  It's become a mission...my mission.  After this week, it'll be over.  But I don't want it to be.  I want to continue doing this work.  The last few weeks have been so incredible.  I've met so many amazing people - patients and doctors - whose stories are just unbelievable.  One woman, Gail, was diagnosed with breast cancer in her 30s.  She beat it, and then over the next 15 years was diagnosed with lung cancer three different times.  This past spring, she was diagnosed with breast cancer again!  That's FIVE different cancer diagnoses over the last 30 years.  Yet through all of that she has kept her amazingling positive attitude and most of all...her loving husband has stood by her side through it all.  Their love truly has withstood the test of time.

I met a 16-year old girl who cried during her interview saying she wasn't ready to die.  She was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia last year and just became the first in North Texas to have a specialized treatment.  She's now looking forward to a future of finishing school and becoming an oncology nurse at the same hospital where her life was saved.

I interviewed a husband who just three weeks prior lost his wife to breast cancer.  I, unfortunately, have the unique perspective of knowing what he's going through...so needless to say, we both cried our way through that interview.  But more importantly, her life & legacy is already working wonders...reaching thousands of people around the world.  It's incredible to me how much impact one life can have.

This may be my job, but this is someone else working through me.  This is Jason's impact on my life.  I wouldn't be doing any of this - telling any of these incredible stories - if it weren't for him and his stamp on my heart.  As cheesey as that sounds...it's the honest to G-d truth.  His battle with cancer, his bravery, his "no giving up" attitude inspired me beyond belief.  He changed my life forever...and my work now is finally reflecting that.  And, it's making me miss him even more.  I so wish he was here with me as I worked my way through this special.  I would've loved to come home, collapse in his arms, and tell him about all these awesome people I've met.  I think he would've liked hearing their stories.

Until next time --
Stuart