Of Grace and Grit

Chief Volunteer & President

Last year, sometime around Thanksgiving, I was voted in as president of the Esophageal Cancer Awareness Association (ECAA).  In the new position, I have been elevated into a much more public facing role -- each week interacting with dozens, if not hundreds of those affected by the disease.  It's hard.  It's impossible to not adopt the emotions faced by those on the EC journey.

This morning I was reflecting on how those emotions have affected me in this first quarter.  I have been forced to revisit the pain of my initial diagnosis and the joy of completing chemotherapy --- a milestone I reached nearly 5 years ago (March 15th).  Facing the unbound questions of the newly diagnosed about the abysmal survival rating of the disease and how they too can beat the odds, I think about ways  to inspire, about ways to be pragmatic yet tactful, and about ways to prevent the next patient.  

My writing this morning is a phrasing aimed at that middle layer: hope.  If perceived as contrived or banal, I apologize.  When thinking of cancer and mortality, it is hard to not feel in ezra and communicate in bumper stickers.  

My working title of such a punchy, pithy tagline: "Of Grace & Grit"


My initial thinking was a blog post, championing a mental framework for patients to adopt while in treatment.  My brain ran away with the different ways to promote this attitude, recalling all the inspiring tidbits that appeared before me while I was emotionally and physically exposed to the world in the open-in-the-back patient's gown.

The survivor's world is somewhat different.  A material piece of the psyche grows and evolves, as you distance yourself from the day of diagnosis.  A third "G" adds layers of perspective: Gratitude.  Liberated from the distant concept of and the imminent fear of death, a survivor is blessed with a particular wisdom.

The outcome for now will be a page on the website open to authors to add their stories of "Grace, Grit and Gratitude".  That should go live in the next week or so.  We'll see how it goes.

Be well. Do good.
BG