My name is Stephanie Horne, and I live in Louisville, KY. Some of you may recognize me as a candidate’s wife (my husband, Andrew, is going to be the next Senator from Kentucky). I’ve lurked for a while and never posted until now, but I wanted to say something about a woman I have come to admire for so many reasons.
That woman is Elizabeth Edwards.
Of course she’s been an example to candidate spouses everywhere (I’m sure even Bill Clinton learned from her this campaign!), but more than that, she’s been an inspiration on another level...especially to those of us who, like her, have had to battle with breast cancer.
I was diagnosed just before my husband was set to deploy to Iraq with his Marine unit. Our family was shocked at having two big blows delivered so close together. I was already worried about Andrew, and now I was worried about our two boys, Ty and Nick. It was more for them than for myself that I resolved to beat this disease.
When I would see Elizabeth Edwards on the news, or in pictures with John or Jack, I would remember that being diagnosed with an illness is not always an end, but can be a new beginning. Watching how she devoted herself to a campaign to make the country better—to end poverty, to fix our schools, and to provide health care to people who haven’t had as much good fortune as she and I have—I found a passion within myself that I didn’t know I had. It was that passion that led me to encourage Andrew to challenge Mitch McConnell here in Kentucky, to make sure that someone would speak for those that had no voice themselves, and to do what we could to make a better future for Ty and Nick.
I saw how being a cancer survivor gave Elizabeth Edwards perspective. I saw how she and her family looked out at the national political scene and probably wondered how in the world we could have leading, "serious" candidates (the likely Republican nominee for President, no less!) say things like we should be in Iraq for a hundred years.
Taking a risk by standing up for what you believe in your heart is right and true isn’t such a scary thing, compared to fighting cancer. What better way to spend our time than working to make a positive change in the world? Elizabeth showed me then, and still shows us all today, that we can use the time we have on this earth right now to work to change the world for the better, and to challenge the mindset that thinks we’re ultimately destined to fade away and accomplish nothing in the grand scheme of things.
We can’t wait. We can’t hope someone else will step up. We need to stand for something, and fight to make it happen. That’s what I’ve learned from Elizabeth Edwards.
Now that John Edwards has left the campaign trail, the media is probably even less likely to give Elizabeth the chance to show the world just how truly inspirational she is. So I want to do something to let her know just how much she has meant to me, and to other women and families dealing with breast cancer.
So instead of the usual pitch for campaign contributions, I’m asking that you join me in donating—in Elizabeth’s honor—to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, a national nonprofit dedicated to fighting and curing breast cancer.
You can go to the site and select "Make an In Honor Donation now" under the "Honorarium" section, and put Elizabeth’s name. I don’t know if their campaign office is going to be open for much longer, and I don’t know if they’ll be forwarding their mail (I called, but they weren’t sure), but you can have a tribute card sent there for probably the next few weeks. The address is:
John Edwards for President
410 Market Street
Suite 400
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
This is just one way we can help make this country a little bit better, and say "thank you" to one of the most inspiring women I know of.
Thanks, guys.
And thank you, Elizabeth, for everything.
-Steph
UPDATE
My first diary, and number one on the recommended list.
WOW!