March 27, 2009

Tired of saying good-bye

...and tired of cancer taking people away.


A former classmate died last night after battling cancer since 2006. I hadn't seen Gareth in a very long time. In recent years we were only in touch briefly in cyberspace. He had many, many good friends, and some of them created an online group so that Gareth's friends and family could offer him support and encouragement. Following word of Gareth's passing, one friend posted the following message on the group's site:


"Sad news, and incredibly motivating for me because he's the second friend I've had die of cancer this year. There's nothing to do but keep running for Terry Fox, keep riding for the cause, keep donating money, and keep raging against governments that spend a billion on bombs for every million they spend on research; against the industries that fill our environment and bodies with untested poisons; and against the pharmaceutical companies that spend more money researching hair loss treatments and boner pills than real treatments for real illnesses -- all while young people like Gareth die for no good reason. It's good to be sad, and better to be a little bit angry."



Gareth, 1973-2009


9 comments:

Heather said...

geez. I'm sorry to hear about this. The message left by his friend is a very, very good one.

amelia said...

Ahhh how sad. Always sad when someone too young is taken by this nasty disease.
It is a wonderful message left by Gareths friend. I wonder if it reached the right ears, if anyone would listen...

ryssee said...

Jenni, I'm sorry to hear it's so much and one right after the other.
Gosh what a loss at such a young age.
The only thing one can take away from it is to live our lives the way we want to. The pics of your friend really say it all about him.
Hugs to you, you've had it rough the last few weeks.

Jenny Harvey said...

A lovely tribute
Sorry to read of your loss Jen
Love and Hugs from another Jen xxx

Calamity Jen said...

Thank you, everyone.

Rob K said...

I'm so sorry, Jen. He was such a young man. That friend's post should be carved in granite some place so we can all read and remember it.

alan said...

I've lost so many of my own family and so many co-workers and friends along with even pets through the years to this horrible indiscriminate killer...it never gets any easier!

Hugs from Kansas for you and all who suffered this loss!

alan

HAR said...

When I look at this picture, I get so angry.

Calamity Jen said...

Me too, har.