Good Luck Susan!

I wore my BITNP shirt for her last day!

For the last year and a half, I’ve made it a personal mission to spread the word about melanoma awareness.  So have many, many others.  There is no better support group for encouragement than those folks I’ve encountered online.  We have all read, applauded, and commented on one another’s thoughts and helped to spread them to other readers.

Unfortunately, I don’t have as many folks in my life that offer face-to-face encouragement.  My family is, of course very supportive as I spend many nights seeking new information about melanoma or writing my latest thoughts.  But for the most part, other people are only somewhat aware that I have “that thing about skin cancer” and little else.

Most of the people I encounter outside of family are at work.  I enjoy the day-to-day interaction with nearly all of my colleagues and some would be considered friends.  However, recent changes have us all pretty busy and somewhat out of touch with others’ lives.  Frankly, one of my biggest flaws is to stay isolated and not discovering the personal lives of my co-workers as I should.  It’s no wonder that most are unaware of my campaign.

Then there’s Susan.  I’m not even sure how I first shared my mission with her, but she has taken a large interest in this blog and my overall mission.  She would comment on my latest post the very next day at work.  She would compliment my homemade t-shirts.  And she would constantly remind me that I’m “making a difference.”  Best of all, she started seeing a dermatologist regularly because of what I’ve shared.

There have been times that I’m just dead beat.  Either work or family life had me frazzled and I’d feel guilty for having not blogged or put forth the efforts to my mission.  But eventually, Susan would remind me or encourage me.  Frankly, without her, BITNP might have faded away several months ago.  But it didn’t, and I plan to stick with it for many months and years to come.

Friday was the last day of work for Susan at my workplace.  She has taken a job closer to her home and her aging mother.  She’s always been one to keep life’s important priorities in mind.  Monday will be the first day in a year and a half where I won’t see Susan sitting across from me and commenting on my latest blog.  But while she’ll be missed, rest assured her encouragement will continue.  She reads the blog and she follows on Facebook.  And she’s a constant opponent on Words with Friends (I promise you’ll win one Susan…eventually …J )

There are a few other equally supportive folks at work and elsewhere which I’ll mention one day, but I wanted to send a special thanks to Susan as she ventures onward.  Best of luck along your next path. 

And Susan, wear your sunscreen!