Help Novelist Kill Cancer Off!

When I met Nola , I was a wet behind the ears romance writer who had yet to finish her first book. Nola was a mysterious, wise, two-time Golden Heart finalist whom I immediately looked up to and wanted to be just like. But it didn’t take long to see that Nola’s tender heart was even bigger and more impressive than her writer’s brain (which is among the most vividly beautiful around). I quickly learned that the most precious thing in Nola’s life are her friends and family. Everything else, even her beloved writing, pales in comparison. So, to put it simply, it was easy to begin loving Nola. It was the natural thing to do. She started out as my critique partner, but has grown into family. She’s my bonus mom. I know she cares for me unconditionally, which is a rare and coveted gift in this day and age of friends who are special, but come and go nonetheless because life is busy and complicated. But Nola’s never gone anywhere. Through the ups and downs of our writing careers, of our family struggles, of raising kids and grandkids, of losing pets and learning to love new ones, she’s always been there. For me, it’s unfathomable that Nola WON’T be there. She just is.
So when she found out she had cancer the first time, it was scary. But like the absolute trooper she is, Nola spent most of her time and energy reassuring those around her that she would fight and be okay. And she was. For a while. When her cancer came back, it was tough, but she was tougher. Again, she told us she was going to be okay. She weathered the hurricane of a horrible, painful surgery, chemo, and weeks of exhausting radiation. She lost her hair, but not her grin. Or that spark behind her eyes. Nola was finally able to pick writing back up again, something that had remained stubborn and elusive throughout her treatment. Her old hopes and dreams began crackling back to life, and she was ready to finish all those stories she’d started long ago. Mainly her own. She was ready for her happy ending. To write, to spend time with her family and pets, to enjoy all the simple pleasures the world had to offer, some of them right outside her own front door.
But a few months ago she learned that her cancer was back. She learned she’ll have to fight again. And again, she’ll have to quiet those hopes and dreams so she can beat this, hopefully for good this time. Nola’s a warrior, but she’s tired. And so, so worried. She’s worried for her family, about the stress this will put on them financially. She’s one of the hardest working people I know (she works six days a week running her family business), but she’ll need to put all her energy into getting better now. Her benefits only cover a portion of the radiation treatments and she’s been awake at night wondering how she and her husband will pay the bills. She confided in me the other day that she briefly considered refusing treatment this time because of the cost. Hearing this was something that broke my heart in ways I can’t express. I’ve never heard resignation in her voice before, but she’s human. The weight of having to battle this disease, and wondering how she’ll weather the financial storm is more than anyone should have to carry. If I could have any wish granted, it would be that Nola, and those like her, could put all their strength into fighting and getting well. That they wouldn’t have to spend one minute calculating the impending bills, or wondering whether or not their life was worth it.
So, as her friend, as someone who loves her very much, I’m asking that you consider donating to her fund. She simply cannot ask herself this time, so I’m asking for her. She needs help. She’s a good, kind person, who makes this world a better place simply by being in it. You might not know her, but if you did, she’d be the first to wrap her arms around you and tell you she loves you. And she’d mean it.
If you can’t donate, that’s okay. Not everyone can, and Nola would be the first to understand that. But if you could share her page and help spread her story, her loved ones would be so grateful.
Please keep my friend in your thoughts and prayers. Please help Nola find her happy ending. She deserves one. We all do.