1420
viewsCheryl Moore and Scarlet Atkins: Cancer Warriors
By annamullins, Wednesday, May 12, 2010
One day before her 28th birthday, Scarlet Akins lost her battle against malignant melanoma. Her mother and father, Cheryl and Vann Moore, found a way to take the incredible grief of losing their only daughter and transform it into a mission of hope. She created the Scarlet Lawrence Atkins Foundation to warn others of the dangers of Melanoma and to provide funds to help find a cure. Melanoma is the leading killer of women under 35, and that number grows every year.
"I was hard on her, but never as hard as she was on herself," Cheryl says of her daughter. "She was driven, self-motivated and determined, even as a small child."
Scarlet was known for being joyful and fun-loving, a light and positive person. When she was diagnosed with Melanoma, she approached the news with the same postive attitude. She had recently discovered she was pregnant with her first child and she chose to forego treatment to have her daughter. "She chose to ignore her cancer to give her daughter, Madison, life. It was the most unselfish act a mother can do. I admire her for this! I am not sure any of us could be this selfless."
"She was such a joy to be around. She was funny, funny, funny! I think that is one of the things that I miss most about her, her intelligence and humor," Cheryl recalls of her daughter.
On Mother's Day, Cheryl has a simple message for Moms: "I would tell other Mothers to appreciate every moment you have with your daughter. Love her and be supportive of her decisions. They may not be yours, but they are hers. We were given our chance to walk that path, now it is her turn. Believe me, they don't make the choices we always want, but in the end it is their journey. The mother/daughter relationship is a mine field, but once on the other side, it's so worth the trip."
The tragic loss of Scarlet left her Mother struggling to make something good from the loss. She felt compelled to save other women from a similar fate, and so created the Scarlet Lawrence Atkins Foundation. "It is our family's mission to educate others on the dangers of tanning. Melanoma is the leading killer of young women under the age of 35. That number grows each year. Tanning beds and sun exposure in the heat of the day (10:00 am to 4:00 pm) are the times to be shopping or reading, not tanning! Don't think it won't happen to you, because it can."
“I want just one more day to have lunch with her, to hear my phone ring and know she is on the other end," Cheryl says.
Vann, Scarlet's father, adds, “I miss my daughter, but I still get to see her every day. Each time I see that twinkle in Cheryl’s eyes, it reminds me of Scarlet’s spirit, easy-to-laugh personality and, most of all, her love of family.”
The Scarlet Lawrence Atkins Foundation’s annual race, Pale is the New Tan 5k will be on August 6 this year. Visit paleisthenewtan-sla.com for more information.
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