Cancer is no respecter of people. It doesn't care if you are single or married, with kids or without.
It cares not if you have a support system or are on your own.
Whether you or young, old or somewhere in between.
Cancer does not care.
Alisha and I met in a funny sort of way.
She came into the doctor's office I was a medical assistant for and I recognized her last name as a name of a family I had known for a long time. Sure enough she was the wife of one of them and we got to chatting about the mutual friends we had and once we discovered we both loved volleyball we were golden.
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| Photo Credit: Aaron Blumenshine Photography |
Alisha is the sort of person who lights up an entire room with her smile. A lot of people can do that, but Alisha has this personality to go with the smile that makes everyone feel loved and included.
She's gorgeous, yes...but her heart is what truly is most beautiful.
We played a bit of open gym volleyball together, managed a lunch once in the midst of our busy lives as wives in the ministry, but I always felt a kindred spirit in her, despite the difficulty we had in actually meeting up together.
Her and her husband threw some epic dance parties and each time we talked, she managed to encourage me with just being herself.
Alisha and her hubby waited several years for their sweet little man.
A true miracle and long awaited blessing that I was fortunate enough to pray for and celebrate with.
Alisha is 28 years old, an RN in California and she was just diagnosed
with Breast Cancer.
When I received the text from Alisha the day she found out, I wept.
Too young Lord.
Too close to home.
Too much.
While I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my God has her and her precious family in the palm of His hand, the ache and shock and sadness is real.
The Lord brought the song Oceans to my mind and the words of it to be a balm in the midst of this unknown. For while we cannot see what comes, we can know He is in control.
Alisha found her lump by doing a monthly self-breast exam.
No cancer in her family.
No reason to wonder.
But she checked anyway and she immediately took action to getting more testing done.
I urge you. If you are a woman of any age, do not neglect this simple task each month.
Alisha and her sweet young family are coveting your prayers.
There is a fund set up for them to help offset the medical expenses they will be accruing over the next several months.
Even with insurance, the out of pocket is astronomical.
If you feel led to give, here is the link.
You can follow Alisha's journey via a Caring Bridge site located here.
I know God is going to use Alisha and her family to bring Him glory and He is already given them much peace. Keep them in your prayers are the road ahead will be challenging and new in so many ways.
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