Letter

Yesterday, I received a moving letter from a friend I have worked with for the past few summers. I have received a number of personal stories so far, and they have had a strong impact on me. Here is part of yesterday's note:

"Thanks for doing stuff like this. I just lost one of my best friends and my best man of my wedding of just two and half years ago to sarcoma. I included pictures of when we were young and when we were older. I watched him battle over the summer right until the end which came October 4th. I was with him at the end and nobody should have to go through what he did. He was well taken care of by Mass General. In the second picture I am with my wife who is a stage 3 ovarian cancer surviver and she was handled by Dana Farber. In lieu of favors for our wedding we donated to Dana Farber. In the picture two of the four people were seriously affected physically by cancer and all were affected emotionally. Your motivation inspires me both physically and mentally in my everyday life, career and athletically. You are the power of example and a difference maker." --Billy McDonald

sometimes words fail us
our most profound sympathies
are ineffable