Today I want to tell you about a nine-year-old little girl, Lauren Dickens, who was diagnosed with leukemia a few months after I was diagnosed with cancer last year. Lauren is the niece of one of our family friends.I’ve never met Lauren. However, I was in the midst of chemo when I heard of her diagnosis and immediately was upset. I couldn’t understand how God could to this to a child. Dealing with cancer is hard enough as an adult – how can a child process it? No one should ever have to go through this horrid disease, let alone a child.
I immediately signed up for her Facebook page "Lifting Lauren" to keep up with her journey: http://www.facebook.com/search/?post_form_id=fb0ee75296226214ef649a0c71be934a&q=&init=quick&sid=0.2917973057925001#!/group.php?gid=167855526675&ref=ts
I sent her a couple of cards and a care package – Burt’s Bees stuff they could easily transport to and from the hospital to safely take care of her skin and a teddy bear she could love on.
The poor child went through the wringer – in the hospital on end – treatments, bone marrow transplant, etc. It has been since September, 10 months of treatment and I thought Lauren was coming close to the other side and all indications had shown what a brave little fighter she was. She had faith that the Lord would carry her safely through this journey.
Sadly, on Friday, July 16, Lauren lost her battle and is now with the Lord in Heaven. When I found out, I lost it. I have never cried so hard for someone that I’ve never met, but I felt a connection with Lauren, praying she was going to make it like me. It’s even harder because you compound this loss with survivor’s guilt: how is it that I get to beat this disease and this precious little child had to suffer so much and was taken away from her family? I’m still crying as I type this. I just can’t understand. And I’m heartbroken.
I’m asking a favor of you today: Please say a prayer today for Lauren’s family as her funeral is today and ask God to please care for Lauren in Heaven. To the Dickens family, my thoughts and prayers are with you today and always, and words cannot describe the loss I feel for you and that is in my heart.
