Poem: Awareness - By Samantha Bieno

Awareness

By Samantha Bieno, diagnosed with Leukemia in August 2012 at age 20

There is something that I don’t understand, 
We see kids fighting cancer, 
yet no one lends a hand, 
we need to find the answer, 
If we want to see brighter days, 
we need to find the cure, 
if we want to move our world in positive ways 

The numbers 36/7 may mean nothing to you, 
but those numbers are the cold, hard truth, 
those are the numbers known by too few
Those are the numbers that take a child’s youth

7 kids die a day, 
36 are given the harsh news, 
that chemo and radiation are headed their way, 
a path that nobody wanted to choose

Thrown into a world of the unknown, 
quickly their tiny bodies filled with chemo, 
soon they become skin and bone, 
hoping to put smiles on their face with Finding Nemo

More hair falls out day by day, 
until their head is shiny and bald, 
the kids must get used to this new way, 
despite what mean names they are called

Somehow through all this hell, 
these kids are so brave, 
smiling like all is well, 
thankful for all the days that the Lord gave 

Would you want to watch your child cry in pain, 
begging for you to take the cancer away, 
would you want to watch poison run through their tiny veins, 
learn of all the possible developmental and physical delays 

The only way to change this fate, 
is to bring awareness, 
research is where we need to donate, 
to end all this unfairness. 

Each kid deserves a life, 
full of laughter and smiles, 
not have to deal with this horrible strife, 
and put on IV pole miles. 

Dedicated to every child fighting and those who have gained their wings far too early.

(Taken from The Truth 365 website)