Rest in Peace Maddie

I wrote an entry about a month ago about an inspiring girl named Maddie. I found out today that Maddie died on Tuesday at the age of 15, after fighting an aggressive form of bone cancer for 3 years. I seem to keep reading sad things while I'm on the train to/from work .... things that bring tears to my eyes, and I feel like a big dummy trying not to cry with all the angry and frustrated commuters around me. Anyhow, Maddie's mom is hoping that her daughter's legacy will continue - please check out www.maddieswishproject.com to read more about this amazingly selfless girl and to see what she has done to help others.

This is the part of my job as a radiation therapist that I could never manage to understand - and it made me sad and angry. Dealing with kids who have cancer. It's just not supposed to happen. I can understand why many adults get cancer - your cells are bound to mutate after a million divisions or so, or we have a direct hand in harming our bodies through smoking, drinking, etc. But not kids - other than certain rare genetic conditions, there is no explanation for why a child gets cancer. The pediatric patients that I dealt with over the years were always so wonderful as well - probably because they didn't really "get" what the big deal was about. Hurry up and treat me so I can play - that was their mentality. I can still remember some of the names of the kids that I treated ..... one in particular named Jesse brought me a Christmas present during his treatments (a box of chocolates - smart kid). He wanted to know what my husband was going to buy me for Christmas, and when I told him that I didn't have a husband he said "Why don't you have a husband? You're soooooooo nice!" (he was 6 - a charmer already).

I can take that life is unfair, but let's leave the kids out of it. Let them have the happy childhood that they all deserve.