I remember the first time I saw Samantha in the midst of her battle with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. It was Christmas Eve and I wasn't at all prepared for what I had witnessed. The Sammy I knew, was not the Sammy I saw that night. Her hair was gone, she was weak, and just seemed so drained from everything. I smiled as if nothing was wrong but it hurt me inside to see someone go from being happy and energetic to someone totally different. I knew it was the cancer and all the treatments. Sammy was too tired to stay up until midnight and had to leave. The minute she left, I started crying. I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I felt so helpless. Months passed and we kept in touch to see how she was doing. I would invite her to eat but unfortunately each time we tried to meet, she would feel too tired or would have to rush to the hospital for treatment...
I am happy to say that my cousin Sammy is now cancer-free. Sammy was, and still is my inspiration to be a part of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training, and I will continue on my mission. We see people raising funds for charity all the time, but when someone in your family is directly affected by something, it makes the effort behind the fundraising so much more meaningful.
