Someone Else's Daughter

I remember being 20. I mean, it wasn't really that long ago. I remember waking up on Saturday mornings, feet aching from all of the dancing I did the night before at some frat party, head pounding from too much fun with my good buds Jose, Jim, & Jack. I remember walking to class with my friends while talking about our latest love interests. I remember stressing about the fact that I had no idea what I was going to do with a Political Science degree after I graduated.

I do NOT remember ever worrying about my health. I do not remember ever wondering if my cancer would come back. I do not remember spending the last part of the spring semester in the ICU because cancer was attacking my body so badly that the doctors weren't sure how much longer I had to live. I don't remember those things because I was fortunate enough not to have to go through them.

Yet, just across town, a young lady I am acquainted with is doing those things. She is literally fighting for her life. Just last week, she was laying in a hospital bed, tubes hooked up to her young body, fighting with all of her might against a very aggressive cancer. Her name is Lauren and she is a Warrior.

I know Lauren through her mom, Melanie. Mel was my former boss, just 3 years ago and while we had our struggles in our employee/employer relationship, I could not help but love Mel. She is funny, warm, outgoing, bubbly, always positive. Her energy is contagious and you want to please her, to see that 1,000-watt smile beamed on you. I've not ever met Lauren, but I can tell from the smile in pictures that she inherited her mom's outlook on life. She's got that same "I can melt the Devil's heart with this smile" look on her face and I can't help but love her too!

Melanie is married to Dana and they have 3 daughters, Lauren, Ashley, & Kayte. Though Dana inherited the girls through his marriage to Mel, he is an amazing dad to them and loves them as if he had been there for each of their births.

Many years before I met Melanie, she had her own battle with cancer (breast cancer, I believe) and she beat it. For some reason, when she told me she'd had cancer, I was shocked. THIS woman had battled cancer? This woman who radiated so much postivism??? It shocked me to find someone who had been through so much but who still had one of the most positive outlooks on life I had ever seen.

Toward the end of 2008, Melanie would have to battle cancer again. Only this time, it would be her daughter's cancer. A very aggressive and very, very bad nerve sheath tumor. Lauren was about 17 at the time.

I remember how deeply this news affected our small office. We all loved Mel and were heartbroken for her family that they were having to battle cancer in their teenage daughter. We all prayed for healing for Lauren. We prayed that the doctors would be wrong when they told this family that the mortality rate for this type of cancer was very high. We prayed that they would have the strength and courage to fight through this. And we all celebrated together when Lauren's cancer went into remission.

Right around that time, Dana was diagnosed with his own cancer (Crazy, I know. You cannot make a story like this up!). He started his battle and though I was no longer working with Mel, I joined her family & friends in prayer once again that Dana would beat his cancer too. He did and we rejoiced and thanked and praised God once again for His miracles.

Then all was quiet for a while. Lauren went off to college, Melanie and Dana got new jobs, and things were good. One day the quiet was broken by a cough. Lauren's cough. A cough she couldn't shake. And when she went to the doctor to find out what she needed to do to shake this annoying little cough, she was told her lungs had spots on them. Spots that were cancer. Spots that indicated that her cancer was back with a vengance.  

Last Tuesday, Lauren's doctors believed she was on her death bed. They encouraged her family to prepare for the worst. Her parents refused to accept this. Lauren refused to accept this. And as a family they declared war on this invader of their lives. They declared war on this cancer and they asked every single person they could to join in.

The response has been, in a word, AMAZING. Dana started a blog chronicling Lauren's battle in a saga called The Chronicles of Larnia. They started a Facebook group called Lala's Soldiers and membership reached over 2,000 in just a week. She got phone calls from Tim Halperin of American Idol and Lyle Lovett telling her that they are supporting her. Her dad, Steve, started a fund so that donations can be made to help Lauren pay for the medical bills that are already starting to pile up.

This family is truly incredible. Not only are their spirits so uplifting to everyone else, but they are also asking for prayers and support for the other families who they shared the ICU with last week. They believe in helping others even when they are in need themselves. Incredible.

This Tuesday, the same girl who was thought to be dying just a week ago, was sent home. She was sent home because her tumors are shrinking!!! Yep, that's right: SHRINKING! The doctors are in awe and telling the family that they have no medical explanation for what is happening. There is still a long and hard fight ahead but amazing and miraculous things are happening in this young lady's life.

After my dad died, I quit believing in miracles. I didn't quit believing out of bitterness or defiance to God. I quit believing because I've tried to be accepting of God's will regardless of the outcome and I've tried to see His work in everything, even the things that I see as bad. Up until now, when I've prayed for others, I pray for their healing but I also pray for peace for them to accept God's will. And maybe part of me has been afraid to believe in miracles. Afraid because I don't want to be disappointed again. Afraid because that little kid inside doesn't want to be let down.

But, folks, I'm here to tell you that if you don't believe in miracles, you better start believing NOW. Because what is happening in Lauren's life is nothing short of that. This is a true, live miracle happening in her life. I have decided I want to be a part of that miracle. Every single day, Mike and I have prayed for healing for her. For a miraculous and full recovery from this cancer. We BELIEVE in this in. We BELIEVE that God can and will heal this amazing woman. And, I, Stephanie Milligan, BELIEVE in miracles.

For anyone who's ever doubted that our God is alive and thriving in our world today, take a look and join in with Lala's Soldiers on Facebook. You will see more prayer happening here than you would believe possible. We have an awesome, AWESOME God and He is doing some wonderful work right now through Lauren and those who have joined in this battle.

When I signed on to this battle, I wasn't sure I believed in miracles again. I wasn't sure I could. I initially signed on because I can now identify with Mel as a mom. There are days that Oli just drives me bonkers but she is here and she is healthy and I'll take bonkers any day over watching her fight disease. I can identify with Lauren as a once-upon-a-time 20-something. I wish for Lauren that same care-free 20-something decade that I had (minus the morning-after happenings with Jim, Jack, & Jose).

This is not my daughter or yours. This is someone else's daughter. This is someone else's daughter who needs me and you to believe. Someone who needs me and you to help in this battle. And I have signed up for duty and I will continue to pray every single day. Because if this was MY daughter, I would hope and pray that an army of prayer warriors would be armed and battling for The Boss Lady. I would do everything in my power to make sure that happened.

So, I will fight for this family, for Lauren. I will fight beside them and I will ask all of you to join in too.

Join by keeping up with Dana's blog: http://www.dhwilson2.blogspot.com/
Join by signing up as a soldier at Lala's Soldiers on Facebook 
Join by making a donation at any Chase Bank. Just tell them you want to donate to Lala's Soldiers. Or mail your donation to 2301 N. Edgewood Terrace, Ft. Worth, TX 76103 and make all checks payable to Lala's Soldiers.
Join by putting aside your own fears, your own struggles with believing in miracles, and BELIEVE.
Join by lifting up your prayers to God and asking Him to do what He does best: MAKE MIRACLES.