Your life can change in an instant….
On September 30, 2009 my life was changed forever. My 42-year-old sister Debbie Hernandez Mitchell was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer. The doctor deemed it treatable, not curable cancer. The prognosis of 1 ½ to 3 years simply took my breath away. Having no family history and no risk factors did not matter. I quickly learned that colon cancer does not discriminate.
Very early on, I discovered that colon cancer is much more prevalent than I initially thought. However, for whatever reason, it is a disease that is not talked about. I have always believed that if colon cancer was openly discussed, maybe we wouldn’t be here today. Maybe, Debbie wouldn’t be in the fight of her life.
Shortly after Debbie was diagnosed, a very dear friend who lost her father to colon cancer told me something I will always remember…”knowledge is power”. Such a simple statement had a profound impact on me, it was truly a turning point in my life. As a result, I began scouring the Internet looking for anything and everything about her cancer. That is when I learned of “Get Your Rear In Gear”. It became my mission to organize this event and enlisted friends, family, and anyone who would be willing to help to put on the first “Wichita Get Your Rear In Gear.”
I wanted Debbie to know how much support she had not only from family, but from so many others who heard her story. I knew that we could touch people with her story and possibly even make a difference in their lives. More importantly, it was something we could do together. It was such a gratifying experience to plan this with my sister and do our own little part to help others who are fighting this same disease. I have always felt that something positive has to come out of her illness and I believe this is it!
To say I have learned so much over the past 2 ½ years, is a really an understatement. However, I think the most important lesson is that we all should treat each and every day as a gift. There are no guarantees in life. So, take a moment and tell your loved ones how important they are to you. You will never regret that you did!