Fight Cancer With Purpose

Sue Chamberlain learned that she had small cell lung cancer--it can’t be operated on, it’s scattered and it hides. She had three choices of treatment and chose the toughest and most aggressive. Consequently, she did chemo and radiation at the same time. Well chemo of course was tough--it usually is. Day one of treatment she was in the “drip room” (so named because the chemo is administered through a drip IV in the infusion center) for eight hours.

ON A MISSION

Sue saw it as her mission to use this cancer as an opportunity to cheer others up. She really found (and decided to make) the drip room a happy place to be.

She came to the conclusion to make it her mission after a conversation with a good friend. He told her, “Sue, you’ve got to find a purpose in all this.” She thought about it and decided that her purpose was helping people deal with their cancer and cheer them up. The location of her purpose: the drip room.

One time, there was a woman, all alone. It was her first time in and she was getting plugged in and wired up. Sue decided to go over and talk with her. This “rookie” was scared and confided in Sue that she didn’t know anything about cancer or chemo. Sue shared her newfound knowledge. She also shared, “you’ll learn what your capacities are, who your friends are and what matters to you.” They saw each other several times in the drip room and developed a friendship.

CANCER FREE

The doctor did not think that Sue would get “over it” in four months, maybe in two years…he was surprised. After four months, he sat across from her and had a very different announcement. “You’re cancer free!”

Sue received a note from her new friend soon after. The sentence that touched her most, and affirmed her purpose in the process, read, “Your friendliness and encouragement meant more to me than you’ll ever know.”

One doctor’s nurse had wanted her to go to yoga. Sue told her, “I don’t need those classes.” The nurse answered, “denial is such a strong emotion.” It wasn’t denial, Sue had Jesus. Sue's excellent adventure included a trip through cancer via the drip room into people's lives to touch them with hope, encouragement and support. Thanks Sue for sharing your adventure.