~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~

It's a road that has been taken
by many people
Every step, they take, is a fight
Our hearts are breaking, as we watch them
We cannot help but think,
"It's just not right"

A road I watched my Grandma walk
But at the end of the road, she lost
She was a fighter, every step of the way
And with every step, she knew the cost

I have seen Aunts and Uncles
even friends take that walk
through the many years
Most of them never turned around
and came back
I had to say, "Good-bye"
through all my tears



Then my Mom and Dad took that road
But they both came back to me
They got to the Doctor, just in time
It was cancer they had to fight, you see

That was a few years ago
My Father had to fight again and again
He did everything that he should
Yes, each battle he did win

I do not say these things to make
you feel sad
But this cancer is an ugly plague
We need to understand it more
Learn about it, and not be vague



My chances of getting it
are very high
Because so many have had it
in my family, and that's why

But don't let that be a mask for you to hide
Perhaps you can say
"It's not touched anyone in my family tree"
Don't be fooled....
You still get checkups because
that does not mean, you'll be free

Do you think in the future
we might see a cure
Wouldn't that be wonderful
Then cancer would be in the past
and never again, endure

~*~~*~~*~

I know this terrible disease is not about
poetry, music and pretty pictures.
But, I also know many people read
these pages.
And if this sends just one person
to get a checkup,
then this page has done
what I had hoped.


~*~~*~~*~

I'm sad to say that my father lost his
battle with cancer Nov. 6, 2013
I Wrote this poem in 2003
Dad lived for 10 more years.
But, in those 10 years, with six grandchildren
he was able to see two of his grandchildren
get married, and he enjoyed having
3 great grandchildren.
He was 90 years old when he passed away.



William H. Sunday, Sr.