September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Just typing those words makes my heart beat a little faster. My mom was the picture of health, and in one day all that changed. In 2008 she was diagnosed with late-stage ovarian cancer. We blinked, and life turned upside down.
Ovarian cancer is quiet. It sneaks up on you without warning and makes the kind of grand appearance that changes your life in an instant. Mom’s diagnosis was earth-shattering: “Your mom is filled with cancer.” As soon as the words were out of the doctor’s mouth, my mind went numb; I could see him talking, but couldn’t hear a thing. I’ll never forget that day.
This photo was taken when Mom was in the later stage of her diagnosis and receiving a kidney stint. Even though she was hurting, we both cracked jokes and laughed, and that is why I chose this photo to represent Ovarian Cancer Awareness month. Even in the middle of a hard journey, it is possible to find laughter and treasures if we look hard enough. A nonprofit was born out of Mom’s journey, and thousands of people in our local community have been helped because of it. She defied the odds, living five years longer than the doctor’s diagnosis predicted. Those five years were filled with life-changing memories. They were the worst and the best, as she battled the disease and poured so much into me, preparing me for what was ahead.
During this month of awareness, I want to bring attention to Anna’s Belles, a local ovarian cancer support group. If you are battling 
this disease, please consider reaching out to them. When we were on Mom’s journey, they were like family to us every step of the way. When you’re going through cancer, it’s tempting to isolate yourself, but having a supportive lifeline is crucial. They answer questions that others who are outside the cancer circle can’t, and they know when to just step back and listen. You can join their Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1504792033083999
I pray for the day when we no longer need these kinds of support groups, but until then, I’m so grateful they offer their hearts and hands to those who are in the middle of the fight. Mom left a legacy because of her journey, and I want to carry that forward and help as many people as possible. I learned that no matter how dark the road seems, if you look for the bright places, the good people, and the waiting treasure, you will find them all. 
Mom’s journey provided lessons, and a tribe of folks who became family. God never wastes a hurt or a tear. He will walk with you through the journey and carry you when your feet are too heavy to take another step. God met Mom and me in our valley and taught us that the lessons we learned in that deep place were far more important that reaching the top of the mountain. Every moment in your journey matters. You matter. And you have a tribe of people praying for you, every step of the way.