My sister, my friend

Molly McDowell was only 21 years old when her sister died from osteosarcoma. The loss was deep and personal to Molly so she has dedicated her life to raise awareness of the disease and to get involved with research. She has applied for medical school and hopes to be a pediatric oncologist specializing in sarcoma. Today, Molly takes over my blog and tells her story of her beloved sister, Hannah.

“Metastasized…multiple lung and brain lesions…clinical trials…continue living life to the fullest”. I let the words sink in and repeated them in my head as I sat in disbelief in Mo’s clinic. How could this happen to someone so young with so many dreams and so much potential? My younger sister, Hannah, had battled osteosarcoma since the age of 10 and now it was going to take her from me. Hannah was my everything. She is my greatest inspiration and will forever be my number one hero. Losing a sister of age 19 is by far the toughest thing that a 21-year-old college student can go through.

During my entire college career I never knew what “normal” was. Normal to me was a constant worried, scared feeling. But now when I look back on it, I liked that normal. That normal meant that my sister was still here; that sarcoma had not taken her away from her family that loved her more than words could ever describe.

Sarcoma took so much from Hannah, but it never changed who she truly was. She was someone that everyone fell in love with the minute they met her. There was just something about her that could never be explained. She had a fight and drive in her that rubbed off on people. For a lack of better terms, she was bullheaded. That’s what kept her with us for as long as she was. She wanted to show sarcoma who was boss, and I am sure several would agree with me when I say that she sure did. She did not let it define her. She continued living life, gave so much of herself to others, and never let anything slow her down.

She refused to take no for an answer. In her mind there was always a way. I believe that is the mindset that every cancer patient should have; there is always a way. Whether you have 3 days, 3 months, or 3 years, there is always a way to make the most of your life. Show the cancer that is trying to take over your body that it cannot control your life; it cannot change who you truly are deep inside. It wants you to break down. It wants to ruin your spunk, and your drive to live. Why would you ever want to give cancer what it wants? That was Hannah’s way of looking at it. She wanted to prove to cancer that it would never control her, and she definitely did.

Hannah is the reason that I am who I am today. Every struggle, every scare and battle she fought, shaped me into an amazing individual with a huge dream. I have a tremendous desire to become a sarcoma specialist someday. I have a fight and drive in me that my sister had while fighting a disease that I someday hope to destroy. Without her I do not know where I would be in life. She introduced me to my amazing, loving husband who was there for Hannah through everything. Him and I were able to celebrate our wedding in her hospital room. We will be celebrating our one-year anniversary on February 5th. It is hard to believe that it has almost been a year. It has been a long, tough year, and I wish my sister could be here with us to celebrate. But I know no matter what that she will be celebrating for us in her own way. It was her goal to get us together and to see us be married. I thank God everyday that she was able to be there. She will forever and always be my sister, my friend.

Molly McDowell