What inspired Irena to write this poem was the beauty and courage of her girlfriends in their fight against cancer.





To you, my dear,

who doesn't have anything to comb in the morning.



To you, my beautiful,

who goes to the tenth chemo and every bone hurts,

but still you get up.



To you, my brave one,

who looks at her own scars like trophies earned in victory.



To you, my joy,

who sings happily from the inside of your own heart

even though fear torments you.

To you, my gentlest,

who hugs her child with hands numbed by Taxol

but still conveys a mother's touch.



To you, my lovely,

who raises a smile because you just don't want to cry.



To you, my gorgeous,

who draws her own eyebrows, ties a kerchief around her head

and goes out to breathe her lungs full with air.



To you, my beautiful,

who hides her cracked veins from the eyes of her own children.

To you, my gentlest,

who is changed forever, whose world is colored with new colors.



To you my sister, brother, neighbor, stranger:

Nothing is impossible.





What do you want to say to other cancer fighters or survivors? Share in the comments below or sign up here.



Photo courtesy of Jeremy Bishop.