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Meagan’s Story
Little Meagan was a couple
weeks from her 5th birthday when she drew a special
picture for Mother’s Day. Giving it to her mother she explained
how the two people in the picture were mommy and daddy and the
object above their heads was she, a little angel who would always
be with them. It had been five months since her diagnosis of brain
stem glioma, a cancerous brain tumour whose effects were terminal.
In the months she lived with
cancer she was held by her mother’s warm embrace each and
every night. In the days, she managed to live life to its fullest,
as naturally as a child with her disease could. She went to pre-school
when she was well enough, she played happily with friends when
she was strong enough and she cuddled every little living creature
she could.
Meagan passed away quietly
on June 17, 2001 with her family at her side. Never once did she
complain about her treatments, rather she focused her time making
and wrapping little presents to give to medical staff and friends.
These gestures were her five-year old way of saying thank you
for their love and caring, and perhaps even goodbye.
In the months that Meagan’s
family journeyed with their daughter’s cancer, they were
tremendously moved by the outpouring of caring and concern for
their child. Cards, e-mails, telephone calls, flowers, presents,
visits, healing masses, school ceremonies, candle vigils, community
fundraisers, donations to the Hospital for Sick Children in her
name — all these acts of goodness and kindness are testament
to the lives Meagan touched from around the world. How remarkable
it is that her death could give birth to her legacy, a legacy
of hope for all children living with brain tumours.
Meagan’s story is one
of courage, spirit and hope.
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I lost my precious little Meagan to brain
stem glioma, a terminal form of brain cancer on June 17, 2001,
just 18 days after her fifth birthday and six short months after
her diagnosis. No other family should have to follow our journey
or survive the loss of their child to this kind of disease.
Denise Bebenek
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