Her name is Mikayla Francis.
She was diagnosed with a rare liver cancer back in August. There was a ten centimeter tumor growing on her liver. Treatment started immediately.
Treatment didn't work.
The tumors grew in her lungs as well, despite rigorous chemotherapy and radiation. Mikayla's six. She celebrated both her seventh birthday and Christmas early, two days ago, when doctors advised her parents to move both dates forward.
They don't think she'll be here by Christmas.
Her one fear isn't of dying - her one fear is that people are going to forget her. She begs her parents not to, ask if they'll tell future children about her. She isn't afraid to die, she says, because she reckons "Heaven will be awesome". Her biggest fear is that her friends, family and loved ones will be here on earth.
And she won't.
So to anyone reading this - don't forget Mikayla Francis.
"Life is a journey. Not so much to a destination, but a transformation. You know, looking back, doesn't it sometimes feel like our richest times come right in the midst of our hardest? God made us to live in community, to laugh and cry, to hurt and celebrate with each other no matter what we're going through, and transformation is tough, and we don't always end up where we think we will - but we have to remember, that even when we struggle to believe in Him, He always believes in us. He fills our life with passion and purpose if we just let Him. And you know the best part of the journey is that sometimes the God of the universe sometimes allows us to play a part in changing the world. Isn't that a trip?"
-Chris, "To Save A Life"
So instead of wallowing in my own misery, I'm going to celebrate Mikayla's birthday. I'm going to put her in my little book of inspiration. And I won't forget her. I won't ignore the pain. Instead, I'll pray that God will welcome her with open arms into Heaven and she will be loved.
-a solitary blue.
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