January 2012

I want to thank everyone for your responses to my last column regarding my mother’s and Scott’s fights against their cancers. I wanted to give you an update. St. Jude and Scott’s insurance have given Scott approval for the second opinion. Once he gets that, we will have to see if they give approval for whatever treatment is recommended. We have been given several resources for my mom’s co-pays. We are hoping that some of them will help reduce her financial strain.

But even more I wanted to point out how wonderful people are. If we reach out, if we allow people to know that we need help, people reach back to us. Most of us are afraid to reach out. We are afraid of rejection. We are afraid that there won’t be anyone there to reach back. But what I have experienced is that people do care. Complete strangers wrote me emails filled with suggestions and care. People I have not heard from in a while sent emails. People from all over sent prayers. People really do care. People really do want to help, if they know what you need.

Those are the two biggest reasons people do not help: they don’t know that you need it and they do not know what to do. If you can get past the hardship of asking and you tell people what would help, they are there for you.

If you are the one who can do the giving, it feels so good. Never hesitate to grab that hand reaching out. You can help someone. But you help yourself so much more. Don’t stop giving. Don’t stop asking. We are making the world a better place.