What's the deal with cancer?

As a reporter, I routinely run across a variety of people. Some impressions are fleeting; some wind up being Christmas-card-worthy. I am always touched to get a follow-up note after a story. I still keep up with a few story subjects who have become friends over the years.

Earlier this year, I covered the annual State of the Cities address where four local cities gave speeches. A short time later I went to city hall to cover an event and was shocked to see the newly re-elected third term mayor could barely walk up the stairs. He'd noticeably lost weight. The next day the city confirmed he had cancer. I got to interview him once more, when he graciously allowed a two-camera, multi-light-kit, five-person crew inside his house for an interview about his cancer. He told me he discovered cancer on January 21. He died on February 26.

From a media standpoint, he was easy to work with. He returned calls in a timely manner. He was congenial. He was patient and answered questions even when it was one of those loosely connected what-if stories that the media often uses to fill time. If the gatherings at the funeral and memorials were any indication, he will be missed. Even the Liberian ambassador to the US flew here to attend the service.

This past weekend, I lost another professional contact after a long and brave battle with cancer. She was a volunteer with area schools, and we've done several stories on how she helped develop an Autism resource library. She was a fierce advocate for her autistic son. She went to the doctor for a cough and got a diagnosis for stage 4 lung cancer, even though she claimed she never smoked. (This happens more frequently than you might think in Minnesota, I'm told, because of high radon levels in homes.)

When we found out she had cancer, I went to interview her about it in her home. So hard. She had a husband and three children--one isn't even in preschool. She flew to cancer centers and tried regular, then experimental drugs...everything to stop the spread of the disease. But, in her battle, she was gracious. She sent me a card when she found out I was expecting Jack. She called me later and asked me to drop by her house for a picture that would go in her "victory scrapbook" that she was making to remember her cancer battle. She wanted copies and scripts of the stories for that victory scrapbook.

I got the Caring Bridge update that she was going into hospice two weekends ago. The next weekend, I got another one saying she had passed away. Such a loss for the family and the community.

I am tired of cancer. Such losses.... and such a startling reminder of the brevity of life.