Looking Forward

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It may be hard to imagine at first, yet once your child completes treatment, you will likely find yourself thinking less and less about cancer. Over time, the current demands and joys of life will grow in importance. Some memories will fade. Others will remain. Some parents say they still worry about cancer. Others say it is a worry they choose not to nourish.

You and your family may appreciate life more deeply. You may find yourself reflecting on the kindness of family, friends, and even strangers. You may think about how brave your child was. You may remember how you relied on your faith and courage to get you through.

“While our family would never have chosen this path, once we stopped fighting it and faced it together, we somehow found our way. We came out changed. Stronger.”

As the months and years pass, and your child stays healthy, cancer no longer takes center stage. Still, you may choose to remember certain days, such as the day of diagnosis or the last day of treatment—and do something special on those days. You can choose to remember and think back in different ways. Some families spend a day in the park. Others write, get together with friends, take a trip, or do something for others. There is no right or wrong way—there is only the way that feels and works best for your child and family.

“Some of the carefree innocence of childhood is gone, but in its place our daughter has gained wisdom, grace, and courage.”

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