I used to think that cancer was something that was far off in the distance, something that I would never had to face. However, from a young age, and even before I was born, cancer has surrounded my family the same way that it has so many other countless numbers of people.

Just before I was born, my father's father (my grandfather) passed away after a brief, yet brutal battle with kidney cancer. Back then, there was no cure for such a thing, and because my grandfather didn't know he was sick until the cancer had already spread, it was too late to help him. Today, I can't help but wonder about this man that I will never meet. I think that if it had only waited a few short years later, there would have been a cure for his cancer, and he might still be alive today.

Later on, when I was around the age of eight years old, I had entered into a new school and befriended a little girl who would later turn out to be one of my closest friends today. It wasn't until several years into our friendship that I found out that she had suffered from Leukemia, a type of cancer that affects children, just two years prior to my enrollment at our elementary school. The year that I arrived at her school was her first year of being in remission. However, you wouldn't have known it by the looks of things. She was as vibrant and upbeat as ever.

The great thing about this cause to help find a cure for cancer is the fact that each of us is more than able to do our part to help out by contributing in small ways. Things such as raising cancer awareness through fundraising efforts, purchasing a small piece of jewelry or even donating gifts to charities in the form of money, clothing or food can help out families who are in need of love and support. You don't need to look any further than something as small as a local 5k run for charity. Even if you have one hundred people enter the race at a small fee of $10 per person, that's still $1,000 more that can be donated to cancer research or to families in the area who may need a little extra help at home purchasing groceries or paying medical bills. Every little bit counts!