I am 48 years of age and have been happily married for 23 years this June. Both my parents died of cancer ; my father in 1983 and the age of 56 from a Brain Tumor and my mother two years later of Liver cancer brought on from colon cancer. This is why my interest in the cancer world came about. For a long time though I did not want to get involved because I thought by ignoring it IT would not happen to any one else I knew or to myself. To keep my peace of mind I get checked every five years for colon cancer. However, being that I work in a hospital and we are a Regional Cancer Center, it is very hard to stay positive and distant. I have been there 5 years and being the empathetic person I am it always gets me in the stomach each time I am confronted with this terrible disease. How can a person stay upbeat and not get down? When I sit down and assess my life, I am truly a very, very blessed and lucky person. I may not have a large family, we are on the hole healthy. I have also been able to surround myself with a few close friends. I believe, quality is better than quantity. I also believe that you get out of life what you give it. I want to make sure that I get the most out of everyday and live to my full potential. I am hoping that now isn't too late to start.

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