What to do

I was caught off-guard by the arrival of a pink envelope today.

Having a big, extended family has it pros; today it's a con. The wife of one of my many cousins, one that I'm fairly close to, is doing the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk. So is another cousin who lives in California, although he hasn't contacted me for money this year...yet.

The letter talks about her mother's battle with breast cancer and how she is now standing up to do something about it. More power to her.

My mother battled for ten long, painful years with this disease. I was young when my mother discovered the cancer and starting college when she lost her battle. Although I had a wonderfully, blessed childhood, it was filled with this monster disease that stomped through our lives and caused me grow up faster than any kid should. Days were spent in doctor's offices, hospitals and clinics. There were surgeries, chemo treatments, radiation treatments, experimental treatments, remission. And then it would start all over again, worse and more virulent.

By the time my mother was finally, definitely terminal, I had confided in my father that I was just so tired of the roller coaster, so tired of the hopes that were dashed and tired of round after round of bad news, that I prayed this was it, that my mother's suffering and our family's would finally, mercifully, be at an end. My strong, protective father looked at me with tears in his eyes, the only time I would ever see them, and was barely able to choke out the words, "I do too, honey."

I think an overwhelming number of families have experiences very similar to this one.

The problem here is the connection between the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the grants it provides to groups like Planned Parenthood, GLBT foundations and fetal stem cell research. The Hadley bloggers did a good job addressing this around Mother's Day this year, and other internet searches will provide more information than I can.

So, I had to write a very uncomfortable letter to my cousin. I was as kind as I could be in my letter because I believe my cousin sincerely wants to make a difference with this disease, who doesn't, but I simply explained I couldn't support such an anti-life organization.

Good luck with the 3-day, my prayers go with you.