Edited to add: Stuart Scott passed away on January 4, 2015
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Stuart Scott gave a truly remarkable and memorable speech at the ESPY awards in 2014. It was good to see him walk to the stage and address the audience that he served for many years as a prolific sports announcer. I followed his journey with cancer closely because he was a sports announcer that I really enjoyed watching and because I always saw a reflection of myself and my friends in Stuart Scott. He used the same language and cultural references that we did. He didn't shy away from being "bombastic" and engaging as he infused sports with hip hop culture (in a way). He was a member of a fraternity that several of my cousins and friends are a part of as well. He just made sense to me. So I like him.
When I learned of his cancer diagnosis and recurrence, I worried about him. Just as I worry about my sisterfriends in this pink ribbon struggle. Occasionally a story would appear in the media that he wasn't doing well and a few times, that he had died. And each time, he would respond to the rumors with class and grace and dignity and tell all of his fans that he was still in the fight and not to count him out yet.
His speech was encouraging, inspiring and hauntingly beautiful. When his daughter ran to the stage to be with her father, I had tears in my eyes. I understood their pain and also the strength to stand before the people that worked with him and to give encouragement and to thank them for their support. Although he looked a bit weak to me, he looked quite strong for a survivor in the midst of major treatment. I was proud of him. Very proud.
I fight my own mental batttles about worrying about recurrence but I was so elevated and inspired by his speech. He said this about fighting cancer, and I believe it to be true:
Wow! Who ever thinks to give the survivors permission to let go of the mantle of fighting for everyone? Stuart Scott did. There is so much pressure on survivors to become this example of grace and strength for others... so that they can gain inspiration from your struggle. But to be honest, that is exhausting. Some days you just want to live for yourself. Not to be the ghost of inspiration for other people.
When I talk to my metastatic (stage 4) sisters, sometimes they carry an anger about the insinuation that when someone dies of breast cancer that they gave up, they didn't fight hard enough, or they loss. Because of this, many survivors do not like the metaphor of being a warrior or fighting cancer - because they worry that people think those who die have somehow lost. Stuart addressed that in his speech and told all of us to fight while we can, live while we can and pass the mantle of fighting on when you get tired. We all get tired, but we rarely get permission (or give ourselves permission) to simply rest and let someone else fight. Survivors who pass away from the disease did not lose. They did not. The world lost a light... but they are not losers.
So often the metaphor for fighting cancer leaves me feeling stressed out and overwhelmed. I feel pressured to be superwoman some days... and honestly, some days I am just tired. I often want (need) to rest. I thank Mr. Scott for these words of encouragement. He gave my spirit permission to be human and recognize my own fatigue. And to honor that. Without feeling as though I'm letting someone down.
As a survivor, I ask all of you (especially those of you who are not survivors but who care a great deal for us who fight cancer) to be vigilant when you see a need you can fill. We (survivors and patients) cannot fight these battles alone. It takes our entire support system to make it. We need you to be there for us. So that we can continue to fight. We're in this together.
If you enjoyed Stuart Scott's speech, let me know below. And if you enjoyed this article, sign up for the Fab Squad newsletter to receive more inspiring stories like this one and tips about breast cancer and survivorship. (you don't have to be a survivor to learn more about breast cancer via the newsletter).
When I learned of his cancer diagnosis and recurrence, I worried about him. Just as I worry about my sisterfriends in this pink ribbon struggle. Occasionally a story would appear in the media that he wasn't doing well and a few times, that he had died. And each time, he would respond to the rumors with class and grace and dignity and tell all of his fans that he was still in the fight and not to count him out yet.
His speech was encouraging, inspiring and hauntingly beautiful. When his daughter ran to the stage to be with her father, I had tears in my eyes. I understood their pain and also the strength to stand before the people that worked with him and to give encouragement and to thank them for their support. Although he looked a bit weak to me, he looked quite strong for a survivor in the midst of major treatment. I was proud of him. Very proud.
I fight my own mental batttles about worrying about recurrence but I was so elevated and inspired by his speech. He said this about fighting cancer, and I believe it to be true:
Wow! Who ever thinks to give the survivors permission to let go of the mantle of fighting for everyone? Stuart Scott did. There is so much pressure on survivors to become this example of grace and strength for others... so that they can gain inspiration from your struggle. But to be honest, that is exhausting. Some days you just want to live for yourself. Not to be the ghost of inspiration for other people.
When I talk to my metastatic (stage 4) sisters, sometimes they carry an anger about the insinuation that when someone dies of breast cancer that they gave up, they didn't fight hard enough, or they loss. Because of this, many survivors do not like the metaphor of being a warrior or fighting cancer - because they worry that people think those who die have somehow lost. Stuart addressed that in his speech and told all of us to fight while we can, live while we can and pass the mantle of fighting on when you get tired. We all get tired, but we rarely get permission (or give ourselves permission) to simply rest and let someone else fight. Survivors who pass away from the disease did not lose. They did not. The world lost a light... but they are not losers.
So often the metaphor for fighting cancer leaves me feeling stressed out and overwhelmed. I feel pressured to be superwoman some days... and honestly, some days I am just tired. I often want (need) to rest. I thank Mr. Scott for these words of encouragement. He gave my spirit permission to be human and recognize my own fatigue. And to honor that. Without feeling as though I'm letting someone down.
As a survivor, I ask all of you (especially those of you who are not survivors but who care a great deal for us who fight cancer) to be vigilant when you see a need you can fill. We (survivors and patients) cannot fight these battles alone. It takes our entire support system to make it. We need you to be there for us. So that we can continue to fight. We're in this together.
If you enjoyed Stuart Scott's speech, let me know below. And if you enjoyed this article, sign up for the Fab Squad newsletter to receive more inspiring stories like this one and tips about breast cancer and survivorship. (you don't have to be a survivor to learn more about breast cancer via the newsletter).
