We recently decided to assemble a team to participate in the St. Louis Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure that’s to be held on 6/12/10. Our team’s motto is “Be a Loss Survivor”! The inspiration for this came from our family’s loss of loved ones to cancer. Understandably, the focus of the race’s fundraising efforts is about becoming breast cancer survivors and celebrating that fact! Unfortunately, not everyone diagnosed with breast cancer survives, so our team is here to honor our loved ones who fought the battle but didn’t win. We want to encourage all those left behind to become “loss survivors” by celebrating the lives & love they shared with their loved ones. And, to help them find ways to navigate through their feelings of loss while on their grief journey.
It’s also about recognizing that there is loss on many levels when cancer enters a life; loss of time with your family, loss of energy to live your life fully, loss of some of your identity. And on the flip side of that, your loved ones’ loss of “you”; time not spent reading a bedtime story, not making a soccer game, not feeling intimate, not sharing time with friends. Loss of some engagement in life…the loss of “normal”.
Our family found that grief and loss are still misunderstood and seldom discussed topics in our society. Not only does grief leave its indelible mark on those who are feeling their loss, but it also touches everyone around them. But it seems that no one really wants to talk about it…it’s painful….they don’t know what to say…but just as we all love, we all lose loved ones. So instead of ignoring loss, let’s encourage meaningful dialogue; let’s provide support resources; let’s offer tools to help people cope with the grief and loss. Let’s find ways to get through it together in order to say: “I’m a Loss Survivor”!
Our team is comprised of members who have felt loss in some way—some of their loved ones survived, and others didn’t. This is simply an attempt to raise awareness that loss comes with cancer; unfortunately, sometimes that’s loss of life, but almost always there’s some loss of “you”. And, by acknowledging that loss, promoting dialogue and finding meaningful ways to support it, we can celebrate life and become “Loss Survivors”!
If you would like to make a donation, please go to: www.komenstlouis./race and choose the “Loss Survivors” team. We appreciate your support!
Sharon Clark
Promote Awareness…Advocacy…Aid.
