Strength and Hope

Speaking of strong women as my Soul Sister does in her last post, I think the stamp set used to make this card is soooo aptly named.  It is available in the new summer mini, and also as a digital download in a kit with the most beautiful paper.  If you should decide to purchase this beautiful and very versatile stamp set, know that Stampin' Up! will donate $2 of your purchase price to the American Cancer Foundation!

As soon as I saw this kit, I had to pre-order it not only for its beauty and elegance, but because of its personal meaning to me.  Let me tell you why I made this card...

One of my personal heroes is my younger sister Rachelle.  She is an AMAZING woman with the most positive attitude and wonderful outlooks on life I've ever known.  Her motto is, "Love the life you live and Live the life you love," and friends, she truly does just that.  While my sister has always been able to make me laugh, and impressed me with her quick wit and gregarious personality, I think that these qualities were even more magnified after surviving cancer not once now, but twice....the first time, at the tender age of 28 and the second time only a few short years later.

Cancer is an ugly, frightening word and the news of my baby sister facing her mortality-the second time with a three year old son-rocked my world. But not surprisingly, she kept me and our entire family going.  She faced this devastating disease and as of this year has been told that she has "Graduated" as she reached her 5 year cancer free mark! Throughout all of the surgeries, chemo, hair loss, illness, fear, anger, and countless other effects of this terrible sentence, she kept smiling, and kept us all laughing. 

Five years after her second bout with cancer and now cancer free, she still rallies against this disease as she is captain for her local Relay for Life team, heads fundraisers, walks the survivor lap, and works as an organizer.  Most importantly though, she faces every day with enthusiasm and gratitude that she is here to embrace whatever may come her way.  And I dear friends am grateful beyond words that she is still here to be the best mom I know, the best auntie my daughters could ever ask for and the best friend I have ever known.  So my dear Bitsy (yes, your childhood nickname is out here for the world to see and there's nothing you can do about it) this card is dedicated to you because I love you and because I'm proud to be your sister!

And to those of you reading-if you know someone fighting this fight-encourage them not to give up and to stay the course because we are all in this crazy battle together and sometimes it just comes down to love, strength and hope!

Thanks for reading-
Shannon