Yesterday, we lost another person to lung cancer. Kevin Brumett was just 29 years old. He and Dan had connected through the Lung Cancer Alliance. Their stories were eerily similar. Kevin was a wonderful advocate, and like Dan, shared his story in the hopes of combating the stigma associated with lung cancer. He was even a patient advocate at the pharma company that made his drug. My heart goes out to his wife Steph. The two were just married this past weekend. Although we never met them in person, I feel that the four of us were close. And unfotunately, our lives shared similar paths.These loses really impact me. Many of the people that I met with lung cancer during Dan's journey have since passed on. Wonderful, beautiful, articulate people. People who faced death every day and lived full lives nonetheless. What we have to offer those with lung cancer in terms of treatment options & research is not enough. It's woefully inadequate. We need to do more.
I hope you will send a little prayer or kind thoughs for Kevin's wife Steph. Having been in her shoes just 10 week ago, my heart breaks for her. Like me, she has lost a lot of innocence at a young age. Bad things happen to good people. It's not fair, and it's not because God wouldn't give us what we can't handle. It's just life, which in the same moment, is hauntingly beautiful and tragic.
I am borrowing a poem that Rachel posted on her blog awhile back... actually, it was on the day Dan passed away. A friend framed it for me and left it on my doorstep. I read it every day, and it's a fitting tribute for Dan & Kevin, two brothers-in-arms....
You can shed tears that he has gone,
Or you can smile because he has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that he'll come back,
Or you can open your eyes and see all he's left.
Your heart can be empty because you can't see him,
Or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday,
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember him and only that he's gone,
Or you can cherish his memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind,
Be empty and turn your back,
Or you can do what he'd want;
Smile, open your eyes, love and go on.
-Author Unknown
I think I am going to wear some green and yellow today as a nod to Kevin & Dan.
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6 comments:
So sorry to hear about this Meg - we'll be thinking of you all -
NMR
Thanks for sharing :). SOrry to hear about the loss...not much else to say but I know how much it sucks...
Rach
Sorry to hear about Kevin and sending prayers out there for Steph. What a nice poem to have and read when you need a little encouragement. Thinking of you and hoping you are happy for tomorrow because of yesterday. I really like that line and what it says to us all.
I love this blog. I love everyone's post to this blog--each post contributes, adding something to us (the reader) in some way, giving us something that we can take away and think about that becomes part of us. One can't miss the genuine sincerity, the moving shared experiences that highlight something not to be missed, the kind and thoughtful words, the empathic caring, the helpful suggestions, the outright supportive advice, the words of encouragement, the words of endearment and love, even the sweet humorous footnotes for fun and not to fail to mention all that we have learned from Dan and about Dan. How about the words in your last post, Meghan, that paragraph of thoughtfully fashioned sentences of contrasting choices from the unknown author--could someone have written better advice to follow after losing someone in a more effective written format? I think not, that's why--I love this blog. Thanks.
cousin P
Lots of prayers for Steph and continued paryers for you. Hopefully Dan and Kevin are together sharing stories and inspiring scientists from above.
-Holly
I ache for this new bride, Steph. I still ache for you, Meg. I still cry whenever I think of Dan not being with us. When will this grief abate? Cicily
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