What's Mother's Day Like for Moms of Childhood Cancer Kids?
Mother's Day 2021
When Mother’s Day arrives, May grey will have special meaning to mothers who have children battling cancer. These moms will grieve their son or daughter’s loss of health and a normal childhood. Even more, so is the grief of a mom who loses her child to cancer. Consumed with thoughts of what could have been. Even the most resilient mother grapples with a heart stitched together with glue and string. Mothers who lose their children to cancer hold their hands for a short while, but they hold their hearts forever. These mothers’ new normal is filled with the pain of what could have been. Questions like “how many children do you have?” can be devastating to these parents, and that is just the beginning.
Moms With a Child Battling Cancer Are Superheroes
While many mothers celebrate brunch with their family, enjoy fresh flowers, outdoor activities, longer days, and the adoration of their children, cancer moms remain at their child’s bedside and pray for a miracle. Cancer moms don’t sleep; they just worry with their eyes closed. Mothers who have lost their child to cancer can feel trapped in the darkness of their own grief and thoughts. Hardly in a mood to celebrate a day that has robbed them of being a mother to a child who is no longer here.
If you are a mom, you are a superhero. If you are a mother who has children battling cancer, you defined superhero by having greater strength than natural laws! It is fitting to have a day once a year to celebrate mothers. A mother who journeys a child through cancer reveals the purest kind of love.
So, this Mother’s Day challenge yourself to honor mothers who have children battling cancer or who lost a child to cancer with a special kind of love. Send flowers, or a card with words of encouragement and love. You have no idea what this will do for her emotional health! She will appreciate being remembered not only as a mother but one who answered the highest calling of motherhood, caring for a critically ill child. The photos you see are Here to Serve moms who have loved and cared for their child through cancer, some to the gates of heaven. At Here to Serve, we celebrate these incredible moms and ask that you consider celebrating them and others too.
Celebrating Your Mom on Mother’s Day
Anyone celebrating their mom on Mother’s Day, show her extra love and appreciation for everything she does for you. Take a look around and see what little things will make your mom feel cherished and celebrate her. Find a way so she knows you took the time to look, listen and see what makes her feel special and loved. Heartfelt gifts are the best! Surprise her and take care of a couple of the little tasks she has been asking you to do around the house. Little things go a long way to brighten her day! There is nothing like special drawings, poems, or handwritten cards that can make a mom feel appreciated and special. Things like breakfast in bed and extra helping hands around the house can significantly impact mom. A gift of something you know she will love can also show your love and appreciation.
Take a moment and ask yourself how you can help reduce your mom’s stress. Perhaps make a booklet of redeemable coupons for tasks you will do, such as washing the dishes, preparing a meal, providing a foot or neck massage, and time out for a nice long bath. Sometimes moms are so overwhelmed with all the tasks they have they do not make time for themselves.
Why not help mom with opportunities to make time for herself? Not only is this good for her overall health, but we also have a vested interest in our moms living long healthy lives. Let her have a real day off! Spend some extra quality time together without electronic devices and listen to each other. Reminisce together about special times you spent together. If you have small children have them share why they love mom and what mom does for them and produce a video and share it with her. There are many creative ways to share a video that will make her feel special. Even just spending time with her can brighten her day.
Bring Relief to a Pediatric Cancer Mom Through Here to Serve
At Here to Serve, we strive to provide the little things that significantly impact mothers who have children battling cancer struggling with day-to-day life while caring for their child. Four out of the five children in these photos with their moms were lost to cancer. Here to Serve came alongside these families to bless them with the support they needed. If you are inspired to help families affected by childhood cancer, consider donating your time, talent, or treasure to Here to Serve, allowing us to provide resources to all the moms out there caring for children with cancer.
By Amanda Enciso
