{ Fabulous Feature Friday: a beloved Professor }

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Cancer affects all of us in so many ways. It is common, rampant, doesn't discriminate, and everywhere. You can find cancer anywhere and everywhere. Since I started "Nana's Box" I have had the privilege to make boxes for some amazing cancer fighting people. Although most of them have been strangers and I probably will never meet any of them, I still am affected by their stories and touched by their fighting spirits. However, this is the first time that I have been notified of a "Nana's Box" recipient that has lost their battle with cancer. My good blogging friend- Meaghan, awhile back, posted about a Professor that was a huge strength to her while she was battling her own fight with cancer. She says: "One of my professors is battling melanoma. She is brilliant, passionate, young and someone who has helped me through my journey. I don't want to get into too many details because she is a private person but just know that this is a huge tragedy in my life. I think about her daily and she is always in my prayers."

Shortly after she posted that she asked me if I would make a box for her Professor. I was delighted to have been asked and got to work on it right away. To be honest, this box was the hardest one to make and one of my most favorite ones when it was finished. I think it turned out gorgeous and classy, which is how I imaged this women in my mind.

The quote on the inside reads: "I will CONQUOER this, I just know I will." This was something that she had said in an email to Meaghan, and asked if I would incorporate it into the box some how. Once the box was finished I shipped it off and waited impatiently to hear how she liked it.

The day the box arrived I read this post on Meaghans blog:

"If you read my last post you saw that I have a professor who is battling cancer. I regret to tell you that today she died. This has come as a total shock. I am devastated! When I got to school today someone asked me if I had ever had Professor Aleong., if I knew her. Of course I said yes I did and that yes I knew she was sick. You see Stephanie was a very private woman. This is why I never mentioned her name or went into details about her on my blog. Not many people even knew she had cancer. So when a fellow student approached me and asked if I knew Professor Aleong I figured they just figured out she had cancer. I was wrong! The student frankly told me, "she died".

Panic, that was the first emotion I had. Absolute, utter panic. Then I started hyperventilating. I totally lost it, in front of everyone. You see Stephanie was the first person I met who was battling cancer. She was young like me, a lawyer, a fighter.....Stephanie was someone I looked up to, she inspired me. She led me through a difficult time and was so full of life. She recently sent me an email and in the end she said: "I will conqouer this, I just know I will" When I read this I felt she would too. How could she not?She was so strong, much stronger than me and I beat my battle.

Just yesterday I brought the Hope Box that Angie made at Nana's box to her secretary. She was going to mail it out to Stephanie today."

I was so sad to hear the news, and wished that I was there in person to give Meaghan a BIG hug and tell her that I feel her pain. Sad stories like this plaster our world everyday. This is just one of the reasons why I do what I do. It's my way of looking cancer in the face and tell it that it won't be here for forever and that it can only crack the spirits of those that are fighting it. That someday... someday soon.. cancer will be packing its bags and be heading back to hell where it belongs.

In honor of Professor Aleong, Meaghan has set up a charity donation in her name to the Melanoma Research Foundation. Portions of the proceeds from her Mexico Coetepec Coffee will be donated to this charity. For more information about purchasing a bag or to make a donation to this charity go to the Get The Bean website.

For more information on melanoma and melanoma screening visit this website.