Lifestyles

It was a gloomy sort of Saturday, and I was in my apartment studying when my phone rang, startling me. I saw that it was my dad, and eager for a distraction, I flipped open my cell. Both of my parents were on the line.

It would have been a forgettable conversation, a typical chat about ordinary things, had it not been for what my dad said as we wrapped up the call.

"Honey, listen, we wanted you to know that Aunt Lynne has been diagnosed with breast cancer," he told me. I didn't respond right away, and my dad filled the silence. "They caught it pretty early, which is great, and she's going back to the doctor this week to get some test results and figure out what to do next."

I asked my mom how she was doing, wondering how it must have felt to get the news that her little sister had cancer. She said that she was scared, but that Lynne had a great support system -- a tightly knit family, tons of good friends and amazing doctors.

My aunt and her family live in Vermont, which is nowhere close to North Carolina, so the most I could do was to pray each day for her good health. But Lynne, and her loved ones living close by, were doing a whole lot more--taking action, and seeing the positive in a scary situation.

The story of what happened immediately after her diagnosis has been a source of inspiration for me, a reminder of how good can come from bad, of how much love and friendship truly matter.

Lynne didn't take two seconds to feel sorry for herself. She quickly enrolled in a 20-year study program that would not only treat her disease, but would help doctors to understand its progress and treatment. That way, women in the future might benefit from Lynne's trials and experiences.

Additionally, in October, she had a lumpectomy, and because it was very successful, Lynne had the option of forgoing any further treatment. Instead, she voluntarily took on the difficult task of four chemotherapy sessions and six weeks of radiation. Her reason for taking these extra, painful precautions?

She wanted to give her two adolescent daughters the best possible chance at many more years with their mother.

Her friends and family, grateful for the excellent care Lynne was receiving, wanted to give back. At the ski resort where Lynne works, twin sisters and ski patrol members Jenny and Becky decided to offer ski slope rides on their emergency sled in return for donations. The two have managed to raise $10,000, to date.

Lynne's husband, Jim, and his co-worker Chuck challenged each other to a bet: The two would individually seek out donations, with the highest- dollar achiever shaving the head of the lowest. In the end, they were raising so much money that they decided it didn't matter who won, because -- as corny as it may sound -- there aren't any "losers" in the effort to raise money to fight cancer.

As a cute, touching epilogue to that story, both Jim and Chuck shaved their heads in a show of support for Lynne.

And youngest daughter Jackie, only 12 years old, watched the adults pitching in and decided to make a difference, too. She created a "pink ribbon" Christmas tree, where people could donate by purchasing pink bracelets and ribbons. Her tree raised $1,424 for the cancer center.

My aunt's story has taught me a big lesson about optimism, about the different ways to approach a "bad" situation, and about how important it is to have family and friends who not only want to help you, but others in your same situation.

I can't put it any better than my grandfather, Lynne's dad, who said it all in a recent e-mail to me: "How's that for friendship -- and loyalty and love -- and caring for others potentially in need?"

All I can say is, stuff like that gives me hope.

Megan Bode, of Upper St. Clair, is a first-year law student at Wake Forest University in North Carolina.

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