November 19 2007

Text By Greg Fallis

Yesterday my friend Lucy died. She was diagnosed with breast cancer about 6 months before I was. She went through a lot of treatments and attempts to get rid of the cancer, but despite all the doctors and all the poisons they pumped through her and all the surgeries to remove parts, the cancer spread through her bones and eventually reached her brain, two and a half years later.

Through it all Lucy remained upbeat and positive and I can see her beautiful smiling face with her hair cropped short from chemo in my head right now. She was younger than I am, she ate healthily and exersized and did everything you're supposed to do to live a long and healthy life. She had three little boys, twins one year younger than mine, and a boy one year older. She was a good mother and her little boys still desperately need her.

Last night the moms gathered from our old playgroup that Lucy was a vibrant part of. We had dinner and talked and tried to think of things we could do to help her family. And we will do what we can in our own small way, but when it comes down to it her husband will be struggling through raising his boys the best he can alone, now.

It's very close to home. It could so easily have been me. It could have been any of us, any of our kids left without their mommy. I wish there was more we could do. I wish life was fair.

Editorial note: Text and photograph by Beckett Gladney.