A few months ago, I wrote a blog here about a very courageous 21 year old girl who had been documented as the youngest girl in the state of Georgia ever diagnosed with breast cancer. Although I had never met Catherine Carswell then, I have kept up with her since through her blog.
To say Catherine and her family have had an interesting year would be a huge understatement.
A few weeks after I wrote the blog, her boyfriend asked her to marry him at the annual Relay for Life in Macon. The proposal and engagement was videoed by a local television station who was documenting her life. Brian and Catherine’s wedding date has been set for November 21, 2009.
But so far their engagement has been anything but a piece of cake. Catherine has been through chemo-therapy and major surgery. She has faced much more than any 21 year old should have to face. But she has faced it all in an incredible way.
Tonight, I had the opportunity to meet Catherine and Brian for the first time when we had dinner with them and some members of her family. I found exactly what I thought I would find. She is funny and outgoing, a young woman of great faith and maybe the bravest person I have ever met.
More importantly she is also cancer free.
Although Catherine is not done dealing with the aftermath and ravages of chemotherapy and now faces the prospects of prophylactic radiation, she continues to smile.
I heard a quote Tuesday night during one of the political speeches that got my attention; “ A person who never quits is never defeated.”
I believe there are several reasons Catherine is cancer free tonight. For starters her faith and the faith and unconditional love of her family and friends have sustained her. She also has been fortunate enough to have the best medical care available. Catherine also decided early on to face her giants by being open and honest and even posting regularly to her blog entitled “The Funnier Side of Cancer.”
I can assure there have been times during the last several months when finding something funny was more than a little difficult.
But even when it wasn’t funny, Catherine Carswell never quit. And a person who never quits is never defeated.
1 comment:
Thank you Bruce for another wonderful blog on Catherine. She has been nothing short of inspirational since the day she got her diagnosis. It is an honor to be her and Brian's friend and even more of a privilege to be her maid of honor next November. Catherine, we are all so proud of you. In the words of Catie Beth, "You are AMAZING, Cat Cat!"
Love, Sarah Mac
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