Creating a Lasting Legacy
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Creating a lasting legacy
Esther's story in her own words
I was caught up in the dust cloud as the World Trade Center Towers collapsed on 9/11, while working for the City of New York under Mayor Giuliani’s administration. Twenty four months later I was diagnosed with breast cancer. For over a year I underwent aggressive treatment: chemotherapy, radiation, and numerous surgeries. Shortly after one of my surgeries I was hit by a car that ran a red light while crossing the street in New York. My focus during that time period was staying strong, attempting to keep true to my daily workouts at the gym and working to support myself. The hope, as it is with every cancer patient, is that you fight with all your might so that you may live.
For several years the doctors thought that I would have a long future having been declared cancer free. I returned to work and moved on with life. Then I was re diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer. Even with the most aggressive treatments it is a terminal diagnosis with a very limited survival time frame. No longer able to work full time and with medical expenses exorbitant, and along with alternative eastern therapies, it is hard surviving from day to day. I remain very active and continue to exercise every day to keep my body, which is riddled with tumors in most of my bones, as strong as possible. There have been many medical challenges along the way including the diagnosis of a new primary breast cancer. The side effects from treatment can be awful and it is a constant effort to stay positive and not cave in to the desire to crawl under the covers and pretend it is all just a bad dream. While I have had to learn to pace myself accordingly, I have and want to do a lot more living outside of a hospital, doctor's offices, labs and waiting rooms in my compressed time. I try very hard not to let the cancer destroy my zest for life and retain my sense of adventure for new experiences.
I am now almost five years into this diagnosis and know that every day I am alive is a day graced by G-d. In fact, every day I can be independent is a miracle and is to be celebrated. I am grateful for the guidance of my wonderful team of doctors and nurses who have shown themselves to be truly dedicated professionals. For a long time I wrestled with what my legacy is and should be. For many a legacy includes a spouse, children and career. That unfortunately is not in the cards for me and while there are some people who would enjoy being untethered to anyone or anything I feel differently.
For fifteen years I was and continue to be an active volunteer in a foundation that sponsors events for special needs children and worked in the not for profit field. My need and desire to positively affect people’s lives has not diminished with the diagnosis but has grown stronger with an ever growing sense of urgency. I embrace being a daughter, sister, aunt, cousin and friend, but I do desire to be part of something much larger than myself.
That became the purpose of creating a bucket list. I am fortunate to be part of a very large extended family with relatives on six continents all of who are involved with community and social outreach. My desire is to travel and meet some of these relatives. By being part of their lives for a short time it would help me leave a larger legacy and at the same time be embraced by love and support. I am able to touch lives and be touched, and serve as a reminder to make the most of every day. While there are many tears navigating this disease it is as important, if not more so, to find as many moments of laughter and joy each and every day. Each one of us battles adversity but it is how we live our lives when faced with adversity that makes the difference. I offer to share my story with people I meet and have been encouraged by many of them to speak to small groups about my fight to live. I am struck by the comments on how, when hearing my story, it impacts their own life. I would like to travel, meeting my extended family and speaking to others who may be experiencing their own difficult time so that my wish and legacy of making a difference on a larger scale can be fulfilled. My bucket list is not only for me but for those whom I affect on my journey. I ask for your help in making this happen.
I invite you to join me and assist me in celebrating life and its lessons. By helping fund these trips you touch my life and I hope that I can touch yours and many others. Thank you for letting me share my story.
Esther
Esther's story in her own words
I was caught up in the dust cloud as the World Trade Center Towers collapsed on 9/11, while working for the City of New York under Mayor Giuliani’s administration. Twenty four months later I was diagnosed with breast cancer. For over a year I underwent aggressive treatment: chemotherapy, radiation, and numerous surgeries. Shortly after one of my surgeries I was hit by a car that ran a red light while crossing the street in New York. My focus during that time period was staying strong, attempting to keep true to my daily workouts at the gym and working to support myself. The hope, as it is with every cancer patient, is that you fight with all your might so that you may live.
For several years the doctors thought that I would have a long future having been declared cancer free. I returned to work and moved on with life. Then I was re diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer. Even with the most aggressive treatments it is a terminal diagnosis with a very limited survival time frame. No longer able to work full time and with medical expenses exorbitant, and along with alternative eastern therapies, it is hard surviving from day to day. I remain very active and continue to exercise every day to keep my body, which is riddled with tumors in most of my bones, as strong as possible. There have been many medical challenges along the way including the diagnosis of a new primary breast cancer. The side effects from treatment can be awful and it is a constant effort to stay positive and not cave in to the desire to crawl under the covers and pretend it is all just a bad dream. While I have had to learn to pace myself accordingly, I have and want to do a lot more living outside of a hospital, doctor's offices, labs and waiting rooms in my compressed time. I try very hard not to let the cancer destroy my zest for life and retain my sense of adventure for new experiences.
I am now almost five years into this diagnosis and know that every day I am alive is a day graced by G-d. In fact, every day I can be independent is a miracle and is to be celebrated. I am grateful for the guidance of my wonderful team of doctors and nurses who have shown themselves to be truly dedicated professionals. For a long time I wrestled with what my legacy is and should be. For many a legacy includes a spouse, children and career. That unfortunately is not in the cards for me and while there are some people who would enjoy being untethered to anyone or anything I feel differently.
For fifteen years I was and continue to be an active volunteer in a foundation that sponsors events for special needs children and worked in the not for profit field. My need and desire to positively affect people’s lives has not diminished with the diagnosis but has grown stronger with an ever growing sense of urgency. I embrace being a daughter, sister, aunt, cousin and friend, but I do desire to be part of something much larger than myself.
That became the purpose of creating a bucket list. I am fortunate to be part of a very large extended family with relatives on six continents all of who are involved with community and social outreach. My desire is to travel and meet some of these relatives. By being part of their lives for a short time it would help me leave a larger legacy and at the same time be embraced by love and support. I am able to touch lives and be touched, and serve as a reminder to make the most of every day. While there are many tears navigating this disease it is as important, if not more so, to find as many moments of laughter and joy each and every day. Each one of us battles adversity but it is how we live our lives when faced with adversity that makes the difference. I offer to share my story with people I meet and have been encouraged by many of them to speak to small groups about my fight to live. I am struck by the comments on how, when hearing my story, it impacts their own life. I would like to travel, meeting my extended family and speaking to others who may be experiencing their own difficult time so that my wish and legacy of making a difference on a larger scale can be fulfilled. My bucket list is not only for me but for those whom I affect on my journey. I ask for your help in making this happen.
I invite you to join me and assist me in celebrating life and its lessons. By helping fund these trips you touch my life and I hope that I can touch yours and many others. Thank you for letting me share my story.
Esther
Organizer and beneficiary
Iona Passik
Organizer
New York, NY
Esther K
Beneficiary