As the 33 of us, (all young adults having faced cancer in some way) sat around the pool...that is when I realized the true power of this support community.
Never in the last 19 months of cancer life and surgeries have I felt comfortable showing my scars. I have scars under each of my arm pits, I have scars in my belly button (which isn't even an original) I have a giant gash across my abdomen. I have little scars from all of my drains like polka dots across my torso, and of course there are scars on my breasts.
Every time I have gotten in to a swim suit since my surgeries, I have felt a bit uneasy. I have felt different. I have felt like I have to justify my scars or explain to everyone that they don't make me different and if they do, then they make me better than everyone else because they are war wounds.
I never do talk to anyone about it.
I just sit with them and they remind me of where I have been and sometimes I feel proud, and sometimes I feel anger.
And sometimes I feel scared.
As I lay by this pool on a hot summer day. I look around at the rest of the young survivors at this retreat and I realize, we are all the same.
Scars here, scars there....beauty everywhere. Strength everywhere.
This is probably the first time for all of us that we could remove our covers and feel completely normal and just relax and be ourselves. Because each and everyone of us understands and there is ZERO judgment.
This is the heart of a true community.
This is why the YACC support organization and it's retreats and conferences are so important.
Moments like these are priceless.
Please sponsor Kerry and I (and YACC) for the YACC surivor conference and our CLIMB!! coming in November. All money will help us and other young survivors attend conferences and retreats and will also go to YACC to help strengthen our support community and keep it up and running and growing.
SPONSOR HERE: (cut and paste the blue link and put it in your webbrowser, then click "sponsor me" on the lower left hand side of the page)
Never in the last 19 months of cancer life and surgeries have I felt comfortable showing my scars. I have scars under each of my arm pits, I have scars in my belly button (which isn't even an original) I have a giant gash across my abdomen. I have little scars from all of my drains like polka dots across my torso, and of course there are scars on my breasts.
Every time I have gotten in to a swim suit since my surgeries, I have felt a bit uneasy. I have felt different. I have felt like I have to justify my scars or explain to everyone that they don't make me different and if they do, then they make me better than everyone else because they are war wounds.
I never do talk to anyone about it.
I just sit with them and they remind me of where I have been and sometimes I feel proud, and sometimes I feel anger.
And sometimes I feel scared.
As I lay by this pool on a hot summer day. I look around at the rest of the young survivors at this retreat and I realize, we are all the same.
Scars here, scars there....beauty everywhere. Strength everywhere.
This is probably the first time for all of us that we could remove our covers and feel completely normal and just relax and be ourselves. Because each and everyone of us understands and there is ZERO judgment.
This is the heart of a true community.
This is why the YACC support organization and it's retreats and conferences are so important.
Moments like these are priceless.
Please sponsor Kerry and I (and YACC) for the YACC surivor conference and our CLIMB!! coming in November. All money will help us and other young survivors attend conferences and retreats and will also go to YACC to help strengthen our support community and keep it up and running and growing.
SPONSOR HERE: (cut and paste the blue link and put it in your webbrowser, then click "sponsor me" on the lower left hand side of the page)
http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=1225195#.TlR1_v6S7_Z.facebook
THANKS EVERYONE WHO HAS HELPED US SO FAR!!
THANKS EVERYONE WHO HAS HELPED US SO FAR!!
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