Donna-Lee Lista
As I sit here on Halloween night realizing that this is the unofficial start of the holiday season, I reflect on all the firsts this holiday season will present. This is my first Halloween without a mother, and subsequently the first Thanksgiving and Christmas. I think back on how proud and excited my parents were when they joined us for my oldest daughter’s first Halloween when she was actually able to walk and trick or treat. She was a bumble bee and really didn’t like the hat with the stingers on her head, and didn’t seem very happy, but they were the proud grandparents with their very first grandchild. They were always proud of anything I did, and because it took them 11 years to get pregnant with me, I was raised to believe I could do anything, because to them I was a miracle. So as I think about how tomorrow is November 1st, the start of Lung Cancer Awareness month, I think about what I can do to honor their memory while at the same time pursuing my quest to make our voices heard.
With thoughts of the people who can benefit from everything Lung Cancer Awareness month stands for, I will make sure that we reach more people this year than last year. I will help raise at least one dollar more than last year and in doing so I can pay homage to the people that raised me to believe miracles can happen no matter how long and arduous the road may be. We will all continue to do what is necessary to make sure we achieve all the goals we’ve envisioned to make lung cancer research and treatment a top priority.
This is the mission that stands before me and all the others. We will jog, walk, run and do whatever it takes to raise money and awareness to fight lung cancer. And if on a personal note I know this would have made my parents proud, well then I’ve got one more thing to smile about.