Cancer Schmancer’s Birthday Wish

A poem by Marissa Putter, Program Intern. June 21, 2010.

Let’s make this a celebration,
with candles and cake
for every generation.

Where smiles and tears are not so far apart,
on the faces of loved ones,
and in the depths of our hearts.

Cancer Schmancer is turning 3, but our fight is not won,
until we’ve reached you
and all of your loved ones.

Until you understand the importance of early detection,
and how it may just be
your best prevention.

We’ll cheer and we’ll scream with our party hats on,
until everyone hears us,
and late detection is gone.

Our fight has a purpose to raise awareness to all,
the young and the old,
there’s no one too small.

So tell all of your neighbors and all of your friends,
that EARLY DETECTION
is the start of the end.

Make sure they aren’t being told today-
they deserve the right
to have known yesterday.

Teach them how to be a medical consumer
as soon as you can,
so they can know sooner.

What to ask the doctor, and how they can help,
tell them through an e-mail,
a call, or a yelp.

Help us help you by getting the treatment you need,
go to the gyno,
don’t make us plead.

Perform your own self-breast exam
so you know
you’ll be here longer for your fam.

Eat healthily, wear sunscreen, and watch the news,
so that you don’t come down
with the BPA blues.

Know all of the warning whispers of cancer
don’t let them creep up
and cause you disaster.

So if you love your family and friends,
you’ll tell them this
with no hesitation.

That early detection equals survival,
and knowledge is priceless,
not their rival.

Now here we stand, with our party hats on,
and we won’t take them off
‘til late detection is gone.

Until we’ve lit the fire under women everywhere,
our birthday candles will remain
trying to catch spark in the air.

We won’t blow them out until you all see,
early detection is the cure,
and education, our plea.

One more time, to make sure that you know,
EARLY DETECTION IS THE CURE,
and we have our FranVans in tow.

Happy birthday Cancer Schmancer, you are a wonder to us all,
thank you for your voice,
and what you will bring to us this fall!