In our prayers ...

Robin Roberts - anchor woman - announced yesterday that she has breast cancer. I only saw a brief blurb of her interview but in those few seconds of footage, every emotion and thought that I processed as I heard those words thrown at me, came rushing back with a vengance.

Her message was tear filled but hopeful. She will have surgery and follow up in the near future. And she said she would fight this like millions of others have and do every day.

Cancer has no limits. No race limits. No economic limits. No age limit. No culture limit. No gender limit. No religious limit. Six tiny letters of the alphabet - combined to create the most powerful word I ever heard. Rebecca Duncan is still recovering. JoAnnA from Mosshill studios is dealing with it. Ann Gillian dealt with it. Mazelle Andrews dealt with it. Donna Bulla did. All survivors. Some lost the battle - Estelle Simpson was one who lost.

I lifted a prayer for Robin and her support network. Cancer is not a personal issue either. It affects everyone around you. There are those who will mishandle the news. There are those who will carry you through. It will scare some away. It will pull others closer in. The long term fall out will be tremendous. The doctors won't help you with some of the most difficult things. Other survivors will be your best allies in that part of your recovery.

Robin is in a position to influence others. unlike me. I can only give my experience and support on a small scale. But as of this moment she is no different than me and you. She is finding her own way through a difficult diagnosis. But she has given herself a fighting chance by being checked. Her message even through this difficulty was the same as I have given. Check yourself and have yourself checked. Diagnostic procedures may be embarassing and uncomfortable but they can give you sigificant improvement in the outcome.

EARLY DIAGNOSIS WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE.

Lift a prayer for Robin and so many others. Lift a thanksgiving for those of us who are survivors. Remember those who lost the battle. get yourself checked.

A public service message - with love - from me to you.