Mother's Day Profile: Dawn Mellon

Mothers don’t get sick.

Mothers take care of the sick.

If you’re not sure, just review the job description.

We do it all. We take care of our children, we take care of our husband, we take care of the house, and we take care of everything and anything that pertains to our family...and pretty much everything else. In fact, God specially equips us with ‘Mother’s Intuition’ because He knows the importance and complexity of our jobs.  But, what happens when someone, like an oncologist, hasn’t read the job description? When they don’t know you can’t be sick because you have two teenagers, a husband, a house and a career all of which need you?

I know what happens…because it happened to me.

The oncologists says, "You have Stage Two Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and you have a 70% chance of surviving."

And, in a split second your life changes, your children’s lives change, your husband’s life changes, your own mother’s life changes.

FOREVER.

Now that I’ve received 100 hours of chemotherapy, dealt with all its horrible side effects, and have been in remission for nearly two years, I can honestly attest that having cancer was more of a life sentence than a death sentence.

While I could write pages and pages worth of reasons to back up this claim, I’ll share just a few.

When my husband and I told our then 12 and 14 year old children I had been diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening disease, they were transformed before our eyes. They were no longer naïve and innocent children. They were now exposed to the ‘other side.’

It was ugly. It was hurtful. It was everything from which you shelter your children. Worst of all, not only could I no longer shelter them, I was actually the one removing the shelter and throwing them outside to a horrific world children shouldn’t even know exists.

But, as the shock wore off, and the reality of my illness played out before their eyes, I saw another transformation. I saw God sweep up my children with both hands. Then, ever so gently, I saw Him take one hand and covered them…all the while securing holding them in the other.

I knew they would be taken care of.

And, they were…by countless angels sent in the form of friends and family, some who lived as close as a block away and others who traveled from different parts of the country; all with one objective: to take care of us. They made us meals, ran errands, took my children wherever they needed to be, and most important, showered them with love.

In fact, my children got to experience things some children never have an opportunity to witness: the goodness in people. They saw a community ban together to support a family in their darkest hour.

They saw their father stand by their mother’s side, living out the vow he took 24 years before then: ‘…in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad…" He taught my son what is expected of him as a husband. He taught my daughter what she should expect in a husband.

They saw their grandmother take care of her daughter. Regardless of the fact that I was a grown woman, my mother put everything in her life on hold in order to take care of me. She, clearly, knew the job description.

So, as I reflect on this Mother’s Day, I am filled with gratitude for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who healed me from this awful disease; for my husband whose love and support I couldn’t live without; for my children who bring me incomprehensible joy every day; for my sister and son’s Godmother and for my best friend and daughter’s Godmother, both of whom went above and beyond to care for me and for my family; and for my mother’s whose love is unselfish, unconditional and never ending.

If you would like to take time to honor a mother, like Dawn, in your life please consider making a donation to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society this Mother's Day.

Make a donation online

 and a letter of recognition of your gift will be sent to the mother you are honoring with your donation. You are also welcome to mail in a donation to: LLS, Attn: Mother's Day, 8111 LBJ Fwy., Ste 425, Dallas, TX 75251.

Thank you and Happy Mother's Day from the North Texas Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Mission Monday: Touching Speech at 2013 Saint Valentine's Day Luncheon and Fashion Show



Dawn Mellon speaking at the 2013 Saint Valentine's
Day Luncheon and Fashion Show



Dawn Mellon, a non-hodgkin's lymphoma survivor gave a touching speech during lunch at the 2013 Saint Valentine's Day Luncheon and Fashion Show on Tuesday, February 12th at the Myerson Symphony Center.  Below is the transcript of her inspiring speech.



"Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.

Life is beauty, admire it.

Life is a dream, realize it.

Life is a challenge, meet it.

Life is a duty, complete it.

Life is a game, play it.

Life is a promise, fulfill it.

Life is sorrow, overcome it.

Life is a song, sing it.

Life is a struggle, accept it.

Life is a tragedy, confront it.

Life is an adventure, dare it.

Life is luck, make it.

LIFE IS LIFE, FIGHT FOR IT!

…says Mother Teresa..

I began THE FIGHT FOR MY LIFE when I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Of course, my first reaction was disbelief,

I’m too young – and quite, frankly – too busy to have cancer. After all, I have a husband, two children to raise and a fast-paced career. I don’t have time for this

But, all that didn’t really matter.

Because, in the blink of an eye, I went from a full-time fashion stylist to a full-time cancer patient.

In a week’s time, I had a litany of diagnostic scans, biopsies, and surgeries.

My prognosis?

I’ve been given a 70% chance of reaching the 5-year mark, the point at which, if the cancer doesn’t recur, I will be considered ‘cured.’

Scared, shocked and still in complete disbelief, I began chemotherapy.

Two and a half weeks later, I no longer recognized my reflection in the mirror. The woman staring back at me, the woman who ironically made a career out of helping people look their best, was now bald and scarred.

No hair.

No eye lashes.

Two very visible and rather unsightly scars from two biopsies.

A third scar under which the port, used for IV administration of the chemotherapy, protruded an inch from my skin.

When I wasn’t sick in bed from the chemotherapy treatments,

My morning routine consisted of:

Taking a shower;


Positioning double stick tape on my bald head:


Donning my wig;


Applying false eye lashes;


Finding clothes that covered my scars and my port; and


Putting on my ‘game face.’

Mothers care for the sick. Mothers don’t get sick.

I didn’t choose cancer. Cancer chose me.

But, now I had to choose: How would I live (or die) with this life-threatening illness?

The choice was easy. A great husband, two equally -great children, and an even greater God.

Armed with my faith in the Lord and the best medical care possible, I decided, for me, cancer wasn’t going to be a death sentence; it was going to be a life sentence.

And, it was, in many ways, thanks to people like you…people who are sitting in the audience today…my husband, some of my dearest friends, as well as complete strangers.

During my journey, I got to see people at their very best…a side, that, sadly, many others don’t get to see.

And, let me tell you what people do when they’re at they’re very best…let me tell you what I experienced:

I sat through ONE HUNDRED hours of chemotherapy and was never – even for a minute – alone. I always had a friend by my side;

Simultaneously, someone else was running errands for me;

And, others were cooking for my family;

In fact, I received more than 50 home cooked meals;

Two of my neighbors drove my daughter to and from dance class 72 times; and

I received hundreds of cards, e-mails, text messages flowers and, other thoughtful gifts.

What I can’t quantify, however, are the number of prayers sent up by my family, my friends total strangers.

I can’t tell you how many times I’d be introduced to someone and he or she would say, ‘Oh, I know you, our Sunday school class is praying for you or your name is on my prayer chain.’

Perhaps the most impressive story I have to share is when a nun from Ireland sent my photograph to the Sisters of Calcutta who placed it on Mother Teresa’s tomb and prayed for me every day. A gesture initiated by, my sister-in-law who lives in Cincinnati.

I literally had people from Texas to Ireland to India praying on my behalf. In many cases, total strangers banning together for me.

Now, it’s YOUR turn to help a stranger.

I don’t know many of you, and, likewise, many of don’t know me, nor do we know that all the people who have, are or will be affected by Leukemia or Lymphoma in their life times.

But, I believe in YOU, I believe in YOUR GOODNESS…I’ve seen it… I believe in your ability to extend yourselves for others the way so many did when I was in need.

You’ve already helped by being here today.

But, there is more that you can do and you can do it now…by purchasing a raffle ticket or by making a further donation.

And, while you many not think your single contribution will have much of an impact, I hope after hearing my story I’ve demonstrated what, collectively, a single gesture, can do.

As Mother Teresa said,’ LIFE IS LIFE, FIGHT FOR IT!

I am alive and in remission today because I put my trust in God and because of the many advancements in modern medicine…yes, medicine has come a long way…but, we still don’t have a cure.

Your contribution will go toward finding that cure.

And, when that day comes, events like this one are no longer necessary because we’ll be able to count cancer among other life-threatening diseases of the past."

　

To learn more about the Saint Valentine's Day Luncheon and Fashion Show, please visit:  saintvalentinesdayluncheon.org