I hate cancer.

Anyone whose lives have been touched by this awful disease has uttered these words at least once, if not more.

For those of you who are unaware, cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and destroy body tissue. The most common are breast, prostate, and basal cell cancer. Approximately 1.6 million people were predicted to be diagnosed with cancer in 2016.

Cancer is unlike any disease on the planet. It can affect anyone and everyone.

The worst thing about cancer is it does not play fair. It will attack the young, innocent, and healthy. It does not care whether or not it infects a two-year-old child. It does not care if it weakens the strongest man on Earth. It does not care if it strips away the strength of the most successful young people in the world.

It clearly did not care when it decided to infect my mom. On paper, my mom has the genetic makeup to guarantee she will live into her hundreds. She lives an incredibly healthy lifestyle. That did not prevent her from getting breast cancer.

Having a mother with cancer has given me a unique perspective into the lives of families affected by cancer. Before, I understood that cancer was an absolutely horrible thing, but I never realized how much it can affect families.

Unlike other illnesses or injuries, we cannot help our family members in their healing process. To watch a loved one go through this is heart wrenching. Having to watch my mother go through this is heartbreaking, I could not imagine if it were my child. We watch our loved ones as they go through multiple horrendous procedures. We can not fight the battle for them. We have to sit back, stay positive, and pray.

Having a loved one affected by cancer has also shown me how much of an impact cancer organizations can make a difference in the cancer world. St. Jude's Research Hospital, the American Cancer Society, Love Your Melon, etc. Each of these organizations strives to find a cure, gain more knowledge of the disease, and provide joy to those affected.

We have to look at the positives of the situation. Cancer technology has improved immensely over the past decade, allowing doctors to treat cancer more effectively. Although more cancer cases occur every year, the survival rate has increased by 25%.

We need to stand with families affected by cancer, give constant support, and fill our lives with positivity. The only way we can beat this is by staying positive. That being said, I will end on a positive note:

I positively hate cancer. I am positive we are going to beat it.

For more information on ways to help the Cancer organizations mentioned, click on the links below.

St. Jude's Research Hospital

American Cancer Society

Love Your Melon