Inspire Monday: Hodgegirl and Cancer Teen Mom

mother and daughter?These two ladies are close to my heart, close to my family, and in the last month have shown me how strong they can be in the face of surprising and daunting obstacles.

Less than a month ago, a huge bomb was dropped. It was discovered that Hodgegirl (my 15-year-old goddaughter) has Hodgkin Lymphoma, cancer of the lymph tissue. It was a shock to us all. How can this happen to this young girl, bright and healthy, athletic and busy, soon getting ready to take on college life?

Hodgegirl has been, in Cancer Teen Mom’s words, such a trooper. She’s been so positive and so brave, through the diagnosis, through the chemotherapy, through this whole “thing.” I’ve been with her a few times since we all learned the diagnosis, and even when she was dizzy and weak from low blood count, I’ve never seen her act difficult or hopeless. And she still worries about how her cancer is affecting her family.  Having cancer at the age of fifteen is only magnifying Hodgegirl’s strength and kindness.

Cancer Teen Mom is doing what any loving and dedicated mother would do. She is providing her daughter with all the care she needs during this very difficult time. But what inspires me is her determination to keep it all together for her daughter, for herself and for her family. Like any typical mother in a similar situation, she also has her down moments. But afterwards, she would let it go, pick herself up and go back to being her busy, perky self. I think it’s also uplifting that Cancer Teen Mom has started sharing her story through her new blog, The Hodgegirl Chronicles. Though it may serve the selfish need for catharsis, it serves the bigger purpose of giving another voice, unique and common, to those all over the world who are dealing with Hodgkin Lymphoma.

It’s no wonder that Cancer Teen Mom has a strong and brave daughter in Hodgegirl 🙂 I am blessed to know them both, and to be literally closer to them during this time.

(Note: Photo above is not Cancer Teen Mom and Hodgegirl. It’s a royalty-free stock photo.)

 

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