I have been doing the same school run every day for eight years. Parents walk up the hill every day to collect their precious ones. Some of you catch my eye and smile, some stop for a chat, others walk on, preoccupied with their own busy worlds.
Since I was diagnosed with breast cancer last summer, I’ve had surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and my appearance has undergone a major overhaul. Now, most of you avoid my eye, don’t smile and rarely stop for a chat. None of you is oblivious (even though you appear to be), because my cancer diagnosis is known throughout the school.
Why is it so hard to acknowledge me? Is it because you don’t know what to say, or worry you might catch the disease? Is it because you know it could happen to you as unexpectedly as it happened to me? Is it easier for you to look busy as you pass me, then gossip about me with your friends when you reach the school gates?
Since last summer, my life has been a rollercoaster of investigations, surgery, fear and sadness. But I have continued to pick up my children from school when I can. I might have spent my day having chemotherapy, or I might have been at home just recovering. But my children always greet me with a smile, sometimes an anxious face, but their hearts full of love and kindness. They have never looked away or appeared oblivious. I continue to be blown away by their endless strength and understanding. They could really teach you parents about resilience and kindness.
Next time you see someone who you know is suffering for whatever reason, catch their eye and give them a smile. You have no idea what a difference that can make.
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