Danni, South Africa

How has cancer impacted my life! Gosh what a question... 

Hearing people's stories, be it friends or family about how cancer has affected them, my heart would always go out to them, sometimes it would break with some and I wished I could do more for that person..

Never ever did I think I would be the one going through this with a loved one, even more so that loved one being my mom, my best friend, my world... 

This journey has been heart wrenching in so many ways...

It's made my heart stronger but broken it a million times over... 

Watching a loved one go through this, it teaches you the true meaning of being "helpless", it teaches you that cancer doesn't just affect the person going through it but all the people who love that person too and somedays cancer has so much mercy but it makes up in days where it's ruthless and raw! 

My mom is the bravest person I know, imagine being the one who has cancer but holds my hand as I cry... 

My mom is the strongest person, because without a doubt she will tell you she is ok, even on the days where you can see the pain consuming her. 

My mom is a warrior because through all the obstacles she has faced she has never ever given up! 

Cancer has impacted my life in so many ways, some wonderful and some ugly...

The wonderful ways are it's built a bond even stronger between my mom and I(which I didn't think was possible as we are already super close), it's taught me compassion in ways I haven't learnt yet. It's wonderful in a sense that you find peace in the smaller things, like holding her hand even if it's just in silence, or sharing a smile across the room. It's a wonderful in the sense of you dont take time for granted any more and you embrace every single moment of it... 

The ugly is ugly and I think we read to much about it! I think we need to find the beauty in it so that it doesn't always win... 

Allow cancer to have parts of your body but don't allow it to take your soul!! 

Watching my mom go through this journey has been one of the hardest things I think I have ever had to go through, however I would never change the fact that I get to stand beside her and remind her that we got this and it's a journey she will never walk alone.

So how has cancer impacted my life you ask me... 

It's changed my world completely.

It's taught me hard lessons.

It's consumed me some days.

But...

It's shown me how strong someone can be.

It's shown me how to never give up.

It's shown me that we fight together.

My mom has impacted me through cancer, her determination, her fight, her grace, her beauty and her lover have impacted me...