Lessons from Sandra Swingler...
I had the good fortune of meeting Andrew Swingler at one of my VO Peeps meetups last year. I was immediately drawn to his quick wit, tech savvy, and lovely British accent. In November of last year, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, and soon found out that Andrew's wife Sandra had been diagnosed with brain cancer at just around the same time. I immediately felt a kinship and a connection with her - there was so much that we could talk about. The first time I met Sandra, she greeted me with a smile and a hug which immediately warmed my heart. Although she had some trouble speaking due to a tumor near her throat at the time, we started talking and didn't stop for a breath for the next hour. I will cherish our first visit forever - We talked as though we had known each other all our lives. We traded war stories about our diagnosis and our course of treatment - we talked about our fears about this disease and our hopeful outlooks for the future. We spoke about tumors and chemo and radiation, and we spoke about our families and how they were coping. I met her two gorgeous daughters and saw a beautiful combination of both Andrew and Sandra in their faces and personalities - those girls simply lit up the room. Although this was the first time she had ever met me, Sandra was so incredibly warm and loving, right from the start. It was hard not to fall in love with her - Andrew - I GET IT! She also had a wonderful sense of humor, and I think both our faces hurt from smiling so much that first visit! For the next few months, our husbands, who had started independent facebook "Health Update" groups on our behalf, posted information and updates on our progress throughout our treatments, and I followed Sandra's progress daily. It became a life line for me - my connection to Sandra - whether she was in the hospital or at home. We were able to post messages of hope to one another, and Sandra was always so wonderfully supportive and positive for me, always giving of herself and happily championing me and my successes. Sandra's path was much different from mine, and I will admit that I struggled my own questions of "why" and the seeming unfairness of it all. Throughout her journey, she remained an amazing pillar of strength, giving of herself in the most unselfish of ways, and just plain inspiring me with her beautiful soul. When I last visited her, she was not awake, but I have no doubt that she heard and felt me. Truly, she was an angel who walked this earth. She fulfilled a most purposeful life, filled with love and honor, and I will be forever grateful that I was indeed BLESSED to know her and spend time with her. She was a precious gift to all of us, and her spirit continues to inspire me and make me smile. She has helped me to become a better person, and I hope to be able to continue to help others as she has inspired me to do. Thank you Sandra, for everything - and for blessing me with so many gifts. I love you, and miss you dearly. I sit here at my computer and it is hard to see through my tears. It is so difficult to put into words, but I must give back to this family that has given me so much, a family that I truly have come to love and cherish. If you can, please find it in your heart and help this family by donating to my VO Peeps fund at http://blog.vopeeps.com/2012/06/in-memoriam-sandra-swingler-fundraising.html, or by selecting the yellow Donate button to the right. 100% of the proceeds for the next 3 months will be given to help support Andrew and his beautiful girls. Thank you and God Bless! Anne