Gratitude in the Face of Loss: A Thanksgiving Reflection on Advocacy
This Thanksgiving, I find myself reflecting on the extraordinary people I've met through my work in colorectal cancer advocacy.
Over the past five years, I've had the privilege of connecting with patients, survivors, caregivers, and fellow advocates who have shaped my understanding of what it means to show up for others. Many of them are no longer with us. Their absence leaves a profound ache, but their presence in my life—however brief—remains a gift I carry with me every day.
Gratitude Lives in the Present
One of the hardest lessons this work has taught me is this: be grateful for the people in your life in the moment you think of them. Don't wait. Don't assume there will be more time.
When someone crosses your mind, that's the moment to appreciate them. Send the text. Make the call. Tell them what they mean to you. The colorectal cancer community has shown me how quickly circumstances can change, and how precious each connection truly is.
Advocacy Is a Lifetime Commitment
Becoming an advocate isn't a one-time decision. It's a way of life.
Once you step into this work—once you've shared your story, reviewed a clinical trial, pushed for policy change, or held the hand of someone newly diagnosed—you don't step back out. Advocacy becomes part of who you are.
And here's what I've come to understand: your work outlives you. The advocates I've lost are still with me. Their voices echo in the conversations I have, the decisions I push for, the research I help shape. The people who knew them carry their legacy forward, building on the foundation they laid.
When you advocate, you're planting seeds you may never see bloom. But they will bloom. Others will tend them. Your work matters beyond your own timeline.
Turning Devastation into Purpose
None of us chose this path because we wanted to. Colorectal cancer forced its way into our lives—into our bodies, our families, our futures. It's devastating. There's no way around that truth.
But within that devastation lies an unexpected opportunity: the chance to transform pain into purpose.
Through advocacy, we can help other patients navigate the confusion and fear we once faced. We can support the organizations that supported us when we needed it most. We can sit in rooms with researchers and policymakers, ensuring that patient voices are heard where decisions are made. We can push for healthcare that's more affordable and accessible to everyone. And we can contribute to the ultimate goal—finding a cure for colorectal cancer.
This work doesn't erase what happened to us. But it gives meaning to it. It connects us to something larger than ourselves.
A Thanksgiving Thank You
To every patient, survivor, caregiver, and advocate who has crossed my path: thank you. To those still fighting: I see you. To those we've lost: I carry you with me.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to do this work. I'm grateful for the community that makes it possible. And I'm grateful for the reminder, this Thanksgiving, that gratitude isn't just something we feel—it's something we act on, every single day.