HOPE: The soul of the holiday season

The season for giving thanks for every great thing our country offers now ushers in the time where we here in the Mat-Su Valley have the opportunity to be involved in a variety of festivities. We celebrate the very diverse core of who and what we are and believe.

Some of us will bask in the glow of a newly lit Advent candle. Many will worship and celebrate the birth of Jesus. Some will decorate and light a Christmas tree and hang their stockings with care, waiting for Santa’s arrival. Some will light a Menorah candle each evening of Hanukkah, while others will celebrate the core of Kwanza: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.

But there is one celebration that equalizes us all. It doesn’t matter in what we believe or don’t believe, what our faith is or how strongly we stand on our convictions. No matter what we do, where we work, play or where in the Valley we live, we can all celebrate the life of a friend, family member, co-worker, spouse, significant other or a Mat-Su resident who is a cancer survivor. Survivor means a person from day one of diagnosis to today. We celebrate their caregivers — any person who has helped in some way, reaching out a hand to one who is or has battled the Grinch called cancer. We celebrate the lives of those we have lost, too.

The sobering fact is, in Alaska, cancer is the leading cause of the death of our loved ones. It would be rare to find one person in the Valley who has not been touched by cancer. We are the only state where cancer outranks heart disease as the No. 1 killer. Currently, one in two men and one in three women will be directly affected by cancer.

Mat-Su is known for being a “family” — a true community where we come together to celebrate the good things and good people, but also to reach out a helping hand when things get tough. You only have to read a recent edition of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman to see this firsthand. It may be celebrating school events, someone’s accomplishment or civic projects coming to fruition. It may be people coming together after a tragic house fire, an accident or unforeseen financial or difficult circumstances.

With less daylight during a season of celebrations and festivities, for those who are battling cancer, who may have lost a loved one to the disease and those who cared for them, these times may be more difficult to weather than the winds that blow up through the Knik or howl up the Susitna Valley. A memory, smell, tradition or even a song can make it rough.

How can we, the great Mat-Su — which embodies hope, the very soul of this season — reach out?

For starters, be real, be you. Don’t be afraid to reach out your hand. Most families will welcome a helping hand — just ask. Maybe send a card to tickle the funny bone and bring a needed smile. Bake your favorite meal or dessert to share with the family. Pray. Make phone calls or pre-arranged visits. Or, offer to drive folks to appointments, school events or run errands.

Caregivers all too often get overlooked and need the extra TLC more than the one who is going through treatment. How about offering to take a caregiver or one who has lost a loved one out for coffee?

Kids whose loved one has been affected or lost need to be remembered, too (hint: coupons/gift cards for a movie, pizza, ice cream or music for iPods are hits. So are snail mail gifts of CDs/DVDs).

If you aren’t comfortable with cancer or need resources you can call the American Cancer Society at (800) 227-2345 or visit cancer.org. They are available 24/7.

Locally, the second Saturday of the month a ladies cancer support group meets from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. Plans are in the works for a general survivors and/or caregivers group get together after the first of the year. Watch for fliers and announcements.

Join the community kick-off for Relay For Life at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Jan. 25, 2012, to honor Mat-Su cancer survivors and caregivers.

If you know of a survivor/caregiver, contact matsusurvivors@gmail.com for more information. We want to celebrate, remember and fight back.

HOPE — Honor, Opportunities, Providing, Engaging. Yep, that’s Mat-Su.

Care Tuk is an 11-time cancer patient and advocate for cancer survivors and caregivers.