When my mom left this world 10 years ago, I was 15. The years when a young girl needs her mom the most were the years I had to grow up the most.
For the last 10 years, especially around this time, I have caught myself thinking about the things she’s missed: the birthdays, the graduations, the weddings. But while her physical presence may be absent, she has her way of letting us know she is here. Whether it’s a butterfly crossing my path or a particularly pink sunset, she always seems to be here.
Throughout the past decade, her spirit and legacy have continued to live. Those who never knew her feel like they did, and those who knew her will not soon forget.
When my mom committed to making her diagnosis public, I don’t think she could have imagined how deep her impact was going to be. The Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research is more than just a fund. It provides hope to those touched by cancer.
As the Spielman Fund continues to impact breast cancer research and care, we know she is behind us every step of the way. She is gone but still impacting lives. There is nothing I love more than when a stranger shares an interaction he or she had with my mom. At times like these I realize her memory has never been more alive.
My mom taught me that power is choosing your perspective. In this life, there will come a time for all of us when we are faced with challenges, and it’s up to us to decide how we handle those challenges. Cancer was her challenge, but she refused to let it dictate her life and those around her.
This time of year never gets easier for me, but I remind myself how lucky I am to have a mother who is loved and looked up to by so many. She is the ultimate example in my life, and it is my greatest honor to continue the work she left behind.
If there were one thing I could tell my mom today, it would be that we will relentlessly charge on until her dream of a cancer-free world becomes a reality.
Thank you all for helping us continue to fight and continue to live! She is with us.