There are just some things that you see and witness, be it on television or in the movies, but never once would you think that it would happen to you. People die everyday due to ill-fated diseases, and you may feel some compassion and sympathy for them, but never anything deep, never anything real. Families and friends of those individuals go through unprecedented periods of depression, where they feel nothing in the world mattered and nothing in the world could help them with their pain.
About four years ago, I was sent to a local hospital in China for a visit after having sprained my left ankle. Being merely twelve years of age, my parents were in deep sorrow, questioning why a child of such a young age would have to endure such pain. I assured them that everything would be okay and everything would be over in a few weeks.
English: The Great Wall of China, near Beijing in ...
English: Great Wall of China near Jinshanling Pols...
English: The Great Wall of ChinaOn the bed next to me lay a young girl, Shin Li, around ten years old. She had cancer. I soon became acquainted with her and had a great time playing together. It was impossible not to like Shin; she had an outgoing personality, despite being ten, and displayed maturity beyond her age; never once had Shin complained about her conditions. She had no hair. It soon became clear that she wanted nothing more than to be a normal child, hanging out and doing things that friends do together. We joked and laughed over silly things and we soon built a lasting friendship. Shin seemed to have made the whole place become livelier, and she soon became an idol. She continued her fight against cancer, which was clearly showing improvement. Her odds of survival were very good. A few days later, my ankle had fully healed and I was...