A sad post

I have for a while now being following the blog of a truly awesome woman. Her name is Meredith Thomas and in my head we would be friends if we ever met. She is the type of person I really connect with. The big difference between her blog and yours or mine is that hers is on CaringBridge.

The point of her blog is to help her 5 year old daughter understand what her mother went through and the choices she made.

Meredith has stage IV breast cancer and has weeks left to live.

The basics of her story:

She found a lump in her breast at age 25. It was benign but as it was growing she chose to have a lumpectomy. Ten years later she found a large mass in her armpit and was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast Cancer. The Cancer had already spread to her liver, lymph nodes, spine and ribs. Her daughter was 20 months old.

She has bravely fought for three years but last week she made the choice that it was enough. There was nothing more Doctors could do to extend her life and fighting it would just cause more pain and sickness.

The Doctors gave her 3 - 4 weeks to live.  She is using all her energy decorating a new apartment for her husband and daughter. A home for after she is gone.

Meredith talks about her coming death with dark humour and I like that way of looking at the reality of life and death. She mentioned to friends that she hated that she would never now how her favourite series such as Greys Anatomy would end. People got in touch with the writers, producers and actors from a number of her favourite shows. She was sent details of plans for the show so she knows what will happen. A huge number of the actors personally contacted her. I think that is one of the sweetest things I have ever heard.

She is using her contacts with the celeb world and her blog to spread her message....

Meredith is angry that her Cancer wasn't found sooner. She is campigning for more stringent checks more often. She has the right to be angry. She will never see her daughter grow up. Meredith is now in her last weeks just saying her goodbyes but she truly believed in the Health for Women Study that has recently started and the contributions it can make to science.

Go and read her blog

Once you have been touched by her story go to the Health for Women Study.

Registration is quick and the survey took me about twenty minutes to fill out.

Please do this for Meredith and to help make a brighter future this Breast Cancer Awareness month.