"You're a Butterfly and Butterflies are Free to Fly ... Fly Away ..."Cheryl and I are Facebook friends ... we don't know each other personally. I live in Florida, USA, and she lives "down under". Still, though oceans separated us, I came to know her as a strong and courageous woman with two beautiful daughters, a wonderful sister and her amazing Carl. She is my friend, and so is Carl.
Cheryl joined our Facebook fan page ... Jeffrey's Voice ... and I had no idea at the time that she, herself, was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. No, I didn't know until one night several months ago. Out of sheer frustration over the lack of awareness for desperately needed research into the causes and cures for leukemia, I posted the relapse and survival stats on our fan page wall. Cheryl posted back that she had been diagnosed with AML, was in remission, and that my post scared her. I removed it immediately and sent her a message apologizing. She responded right away, asking me to please put the post back up ... saying that all should know the devastating effects of this disease and thanking me for being honest with her and everyone. I remember that night. I remember agonizing over having upset Cheryl and wondering if I had upset others. I remember telling her to stay strong and that together we would reach the day when all remissions were permanent and when finally there was a cure for all. She was so gracious, so amazing, so strong. Cheryl, I didn't tell you how you saved my life that night, or how your courage gave me the strength to continue speaking out for a cure .. to be Jeffrey's Voice, your voice and the voice of all the butterflies. I didn't tell you then, and I am sorry, but somehow I think you know. You are an inspiration to us all.
Cheryl, my wonderful friend ... you are a beautiful butterfly .. a beautiful butterfly who fought so hard to fly. You no longer have to fight to fly. Now you are free. And, though it hurts us that you have flown away, we know that now you fly ... no, now you soar ... with the angels. You are loved and missed. Wishing peace for your family and loved ones ... you have already found it.
But, here's the thing, friends ... every four minutes of every day, there is a new diagnosis of Leukemia and other Blood Cancers ... 150,000 are lost each year. Wonderful, amazing and beautiful people like Cheryl lost to this wretched disease. We can lose no more. Together, we can find a cure. Will you help??? Visit Jeffrey's Voice and help us reach the day when no more are lost, when all remissions are permanent, and when finally there is a cure for all.
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