[GCFL-discuss] "I Will Always Love You......"

[gcfl-discuss at gcfl.net]

Hi Gang.  I got this email from a friend today.  It is a lovely story and a 
worthy cause as well.  

Subj:   "I Will Always Love You......"  
Date:   2/4/04 9:19:43 AM US Eastern Standard Time  

I  Will  Always  Love  You!

Like most elementary schools, it was typical to have a parade of 
students
in and out of the health clinic throughout the day.  We dispensed ice 
for
bumps and bruises, Band-Aids for cuts, and liberal doses of 
sympathy and
hugs.  As principal, my office was right next door to the clinic, so I
often dropped in to lend a hand and help with the hugs.  I knew that 
for
some kids, mine might be the only one they got all day.

One morning I was putting a Band-Aid on a little girl's scraped knee. 
Her
blonde hair was matted, and I noticed that she was shivering in her 
thin
little sleeveless blouse.  I found her a warm sweatshirt and helped her
pull it on.  "Thanks for taking care of me," she whispered as she 
climbed
into my lap and snuggled up against me.

It wasn't long after that when I ran across an unfamiliar lump under 
my
arm. Cancer, an aggressively spreading kind, had already invaded 
thirteen
of my lymph nodes.  I pondered whether or not to tell the students 
about
my diagnosis.  The word breast seemed so hard to say out loud to 
them, and
the word cancer seemed so frightening.

When it became evident that the children were going to find out one 
way or
another, either the straight scoop from me or possibly a garbled 
version
from someone else, I decided to tell them myself.  It wasn't easy to 
get
the words out, but the empathy and concern I saw in their faces as I
explained it to them told me I had made the right decision.

When I gave them a chance to ask questions, they mostly wanted to 
know how
they could help.  I told them that what I would like best would be their
letters, pictures, and prayers.  I stood by the gym door as the 
children
solemnly filed out.  My little blonde friend darted out of line and threw
herself into my arms.  Then she stepped back to look up into my 
face.
"Don't be afraid, Dr. Perry," she said earnestly.  "I know you'll be 
back
because now it's our turn to take care of you."

No one ever could have done a better job.  The kids sent me off to 
my
first chemotherapy session with a hilarious book of nausea 
remedies that
they had written.  A video of every class in the school singing get-
well
songs accompanied me to the next chemotherapy appointment.  By 
the third
visit, the nurses were waiting at the door to find out what I would 
bring
next.  It was a delicate music box that played "I Will Always Love 
You."

Even when I went into isolation at the hospital for a bone marrow
transplant, the letters and pictures kept coming until they covered 
every
wall of my room.  Then the kids traced their hands onto colored 
paper, cut
them out, and glued them together to make a freestanding rainbow of
helping hands.

"I feel like I've stepped into Disneyland every time I walk into this
room," my doctor laughed.

That was even before the six-foot apple blossom tree arrived 
adorned with
messages written on paper apples from the students and teachers.  
What
healing comfort I found in being surrounded by these tokens of their
caring.

At long last, I was well enough to return to work.  As I headed up the
road to the school, I was suddenly overcome by doubts.

"What if the kids have forgotten all about me?"  I wondered, "What if 
they
don't want a skinny bald principal?  What if . . ."

I caught sight of the school marquee as I rounded the bend.  
"Welcome
Back, Dr. Perry," it read.

As I drew closer, everywhere I looked were pink ribbons - ribbons in 
the
windows, tied on the doorknobs, even up in the trees.  The children 
and
staff wore pink ribbons, too.  My blonde buddy was first in line to 
greet
me.

"You're back, Dr. Perry, you're back!" she called.  "See, I told you 
we'd
take care of you!"  As I hugged her tight, in the back of my mind I
faintly heard my music box playing .

"I will always love you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Breast Cancer Stamp Booklet

It would be wonderful if 2004 were the year a cure for breast cancer 
was
found!!!!  The notion that we could raise $35 million by buying a 
book of
stamps is powerful!  As you may be aware, the US Postal Service 
recently
released its new "Fund the Cure"  stamp to help fund breast cancer
research. The stamp was designed by Ethel Kessler of Bethesda, 
Maryland. 
It is important that we take a stand against this disease that affects so
many of our Mothers, Sisters and Friends.  Instead of the normal 37 
cents
for a stamp, this one costs 40 cents.  The additional 3 cents will go to
breast cancer research.  A "normal" book costs $7.40.  This one is 
only
$8.00.  It takes a few minutes in line at the Post Office and means so
much.  If all stamps are sold, it will raise an additional $35,000,000 
for
this vital research.  Just as important as the money is our support.  
What
a statement it would make if the stamp outsold the lottery this week. 
What a statement it would make that we care.  I urge you to do two 
things
TODAY:

      1.  Go out and purchase some of these stamps.

      2.  E-mail your friends to do the same.

Many of us know women and their families whose lives are turned
upside-down by breast cancer.  It takes so little to do so much in this
drive.  We can all afford the $0.60.  Please help.  Have a wonderful 
day!

God bless you abundantly today and always!

"Rev. Ev"
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