SURVIVOR & CAREGIVER POEMS: VARIOUS POEMS FOR USE AT RELAY FOR LIFE EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

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1 SURVIVOR & CAREGIVER POEMS: VARIOUS POEMS FOR USE AT RELAY FOR LIFE EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES You are a Caregiver, You are HOPE HOPE is a special word that you spell C-A-R-E; But you don t write it with a pen or by tapping a key. You choose to express the word s purpose by heart; And the touch of your hand transforms it to art. HOPE is given by you in so many little ways That are truly gigantic gifts but you hide from praise. Instead you turn the spotlight on the patient s face To highlight his courage or her strength and grace. HOPE fights back your fears as you feel their pain; And your love holds on tight to keep the family sane. But they all understand how in each difficult moment that it s harder on you than your loved one in treatment. Say I am HOPE, sing it, show it, shout it out loud; You are the reason cancer cringes so stand up proud. Thanks to you, others see that they can be HOPE, too; Look and see that We are HOPE all because of you. You are a Survivor, You are HOPE HOPE is just a word until the doc says, You have cancer And suddenly - no matter the question, HOPE is the answer. It s faith, trust, a dream and belief but is tough to define Yet in a storm - it is solid as a rock and is your only life line. HOPE gets you up and gets you through chemotherapy Then it lets you laugh through the holes in your memory. The people you meet are inspired by your courage and spirit; So you share your secret and they know why you won t quit. HOPE shines as you savor each breath and treasure each day

2 This glow is your true nature and not just words that you say. Now you know HOPE is a passion that can drive away fears; So fuel it with love to fend off times of darkness and tears. I am HOPE is etched on your heart and shows in your smile. Cancer can t stop you from flaunting your own purple style. Each lap you take leads another to the HOPE that they need; And now We are HOPE and Life after Cancer is our creed. THE CAREGIVER IN ME Someone should have warned us Maybe given us some time Someone should have told us That life turns upon a dime You re the rock in our foundation Together we belong The word cancer seems so fatal The doctors must be wrong How would I become the warrior You were going to need each day How would I find the strength To give you hope in every way It took only but a moment To become a person I never knew It took only but a moment Because of the love I have for you Somewhere I found the strength To take the world upon my shoulders Somewhere I found the faith I would now become your boulder You ve become my inspiration And you ve shown me I can be The rock in your foundation You can always lean on me Although you feel a burden And you hate how life has turned I thank you with all my heart For the lessons I have learned You seem to feel a bother But your loved ones already know You re still the rock in our foundation That has made this family grow

3 ON BEING A CHAMPION A champion is a winner, A hero... Someone who never gives up Even when the going gets rough. A champion is a member of A winning team... Someone who overcomes challenges Even when it requires creative solutions A champion is an optimist. A hopeful spirit... Someone who plays the game, Even when the game is called life... Especially when the game is called life. There can be a champion in each of us, If we live as a winner, If we live as a member of the team, If we live with a hopeful spirit, For life. by Mattie Stepanek from his book Journeys Through Heartsong (September 1999)

4 For the survivor recognition we talked about having 8 survivors with a candle each; the read their paragraph and then light the next candle, etc It s just one little candle One tiny flickering light A challenge to the darkness A small beacon in the night It could be just a gentle touch A reminder that you re there Or a warm, compassionate hug That shows you understand and care Maybe it s a helping hand A thoughtful, practical deed A casserole, some laundry Whatever meets the need Sometimes it only takes your smile To encourage and uplift And should that smile lead to laughter You ve shared a precious gift There s comfort in shared Silence Or in a softly spoken word Or in taking time to listen To feelings that must be heard Yes, it s just one little candle Softly glowing in the night But it can overcome the darkness If it will only share its light Just one little candle at a time Each one giving from its heart Reaching out to those nearby Asking them to do their part To make sure the light keeps growing Reaching out to those in sorrow Offering comfort, warmth, and hope Strength and courage for tomorrow by Carol Dunn

5 Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Relay for Life By Kathy Cawthon, Survivor Purple goes with everything The Big C stands for Big Courage Words comfort. Hugs help. Tears heal Relay volunteers can move mountains Some of my friends are even more beautiful in the middle of the night. Some are not Ain t too proud to beg I ll do just about anything for a Relay dollar It s not hard to stay up all night when you re surrounded by 10,000 of your closest friends A brave heart is a powerful weapon A single candle may light the darkness, but a Relay luminary will melt your heart Count every penny because every penny counts You can t have too many Relay T-shirts There really are angels among us, and they re wearing purple Whatever your heart desires, do it now There are moments when everything turns out right. Don t let them alarm you. They pass There are only two forces in the universe love and fear. When you stand on the first one, the other can t touch you Scars are beautiful. They are brushstrokes in the masterpiece that is your life Never underestimate the potential or the power of the human spirit The motive for giving is more important than the gift To know real love is to know loss Miracles happen at Relay. A bucket of chicken and a bowl of macaroni salad can feed twenty people One Relay volunteer can change the world and, some day, one dollar will change the course of human history No matter how many raffle tickets I buy, I will probably never win a car. But I m still a winner Showers would be nice (hmmm with a garden hose and a power nozzle, I bet I could charge five bucks ) A cold bagel and warm orange juice is the best breakfast in the world when eaten with a Relay pal There lives in each of us a hero awaiting the call to action When I walk fast, my thighs rub together and I worry that my underpants will catch fire The race belongs not only to the swift and the strong, but also to those who keep running Even when I cannot walk, my soul can dance To give is golden We are here to take care of each other Wear sunscreen Dream big for there is little power in little plans Eat dessert first Laugh often and love much When in doubt, go with purple

6 Bookmark Poem The following is a poem used on bookmarks given out to Survivors at their reception: So Many Silent Heroes You sit and listen quietly Of all those in a hurry Although you know life s precious No one seems to worry It seems you hold a secret Deep within you heart The carefree times of yesterday You no longer share a part Cancer became the world For you and those you love Most of your time is filled With prayers to God above As a caregiver I have witnessed Such faith and awesome strength For my survivor that I love I would go to any length On the visits to the doctor For treatment & his care I saw so many silent heroes In the survivors that were there To the survivors here and now We say to you today You re the heroes of your loved ones As well as all those at Relay

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