Survivor

I have never had cancer,

but I am a cancer survivor.

Everyone, in some way or another,

 is affected.

I have lost too many people to cancer and I will not lose anymore,

I’ll make sure of that.

My best friend was absent from school

Her cancer diagnosis was confirmed,

I didn't want to believe it.

 I couldn't.

I spent so much time in denial,

refusing to believe,

I forgot about her to suppress the pain

That unsafe-safe haven didn’t last long…

Before that,

She came to school one day

I saw her, she looked different.

Although physically beat from the chemotherapy, she was alive inside.

She restored my hope.

That unsafe-safe haven didn’t last long...

I got a call at 8:45 P.M. on the 4th of January.

She had passed away.

I drowned in my own misery.

All I wanted to do was hide from the truth. 

Much like her, I felt drained,

but unlike her I had no strength inside.

I couldn't go to her funeral.

Life was so dull

I had no hope left. 

When,

I found a teacher had survived cancer.

Since I had only one experience with cancer,

seeing a cancer survivor was a ray of hope.

She opened up my eyes…

I joined the Relay for Life cancer walk-

 Seeing all those survivors,

Seeing that we CAN fight back,

Realizing that I NEED to fight back.

That night I walked forever feeling this weight lifted from my shoulders.

Cancer no longer owned me,

it feared me; cancer fears the walker.

I was a new person.

 I was a survivor.