[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” template_class=” av_uid=’av-kohahtea’ sc_version=’1.0′ admin_preview_bg=”]

Celebrating the Power of Mothers:  Osteosarcoma Survivor Writes a Love Letter to Her Mom

Childhood cancer survivor honors her Mom by writing her a letter for Mother’s Day.  Honor the mother in your life with a donation to childhood cancer research.

Written by Lily Knecht, Osteosarcoma survivor

Dear Ma, 

This year for Mother’s Day I thought I’d honor you in a way I haven’t before by telling the world how strong, wonderful, and a blessing of a mother you are because they deserve to know. Mom, last year was a whirlwind of emotions for both of us. From doctor’s appointments to scans to surgeries; our everyday routine had changed drastically. Cancer was the last word we expected to hear and when we did it broke us, but you helped me pick up every last piece of myself. 

I cannot tell you how much your small acts of comfort meant to me during that time. Whether it was holding my hand while I had to get my blood drawn (because even though I’m a full-grown adult I’m still ridiculously afraid of needles), staying up talking with me late into the night while snacking on ice pops so the chemo wouldn’t give me mouth sores or using every ingredient in the kitchen to hopefully make me something to eat that I wouldn’t get sick off that time around. Yet most of all, what meant the most to me was how you made sure that I was never alone. 

Yes, I know you probably thought that part annoyed me most of the time, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you by my side. Besides, nothing else could’ve made me laugh harder than our nightly escapades to the rooftop or to the cafeteria in nothing but our homely pajamas. Those memories will always bring such a smile to my face and enabled me to smile in a time when joy felt nearly impossible to reach. 

I know that my journey with cancer had so many positive moments that you and I experienced together, however it would be naïve of me to say that it was all sunshine and rainbows. We had our days of rain too. Many, many days where it just wouldn’t seem to let up. And Mom, if I had the power to do anything in the world for you, it would be to erase those rainy days from your memories forever. It would be to heal all of the scaring in your heart from where I know it matches mine and to make it seem like none of the bad days even happened. 

But they did happen, and you taught me that’s okay. You taught me that it’s the bad days when we see God most at work in our lives. And man, did we see God at work. So from now on, I don’t fear the rainy days, because I know that God ultimately controls the rain. Happy Mother’s Day Mom. 

Love your daughter,

Lily

About Lily

After what was thought to be a knee injury while vacationing in Florida, Lily went for an MRI after the pain continued to get worse.  A 14cm high-grade tumor in the tibia of her right leg was discovered. The week after Thanksgiving in 2019 Lily was diagnosed with osteosarcoma during her Senior year at Northwestern High School. Fortunately, the disease was localized and had not spread.

Lily went through surgery to remove the tumor and salvage her leg.  Surgery removed the piece of her shin bone that was affected by the tumor and attached an internal prosthetic to the remaining portion of her tibia, a prosthetic knee joint that attached to her femur.  

In 2020 Lily was declared cancer-free and through all the treatments, side effects, learning to walk again… Lily completed her schoolwork to graduate with her class.  All with her mom by her side.  She recently had her routine scans and checkups in February, and everything looked great!  

From her time receiving treatment at Levine Children’s, Lily has decided she wants to become a musical therapist.  Music therapy helped her so much during her treatment and felt called to work with kids dealing with sickness and to help them in the same way!  Lily is currently in technical college and hoping to transfer to Queens University to get her Bachelor’s in Music.

Honor the mother in your life with a donation to childhood cancer research.

READ MORE [CELEBRATING THE POWER OF MOTHERS]

Celebrating the Power of Mothers:  Being a Mom Through Cancer (Betsy, Lily’s Mom)

Celebrating the Power of Mothers: The Unique Bond Between Two Cancer Moms (Kim Webb & Emily Kincaid)

Celebrating the Power of Mothers:  Cancer Moms Fighting Back (Brandi Jansen)[/av_textblock]