Presidential hopeful John Edwards held a press conference today to announce that his wife, Elizabeth Edwards, has cancer once more. Mrs. Edwards is a breast cancer survivor. Her cancer was thought to be in remission, but is has reappeared in her bone. The cancer is not cureable, but it is treatable. Edwards vowed that despite his wife's cancer, his campaign will go on. The Edwards' have four children, Cate, Emma Claire, and Jack. Oldest son Wade was killed in a car crash in 1996 when he was 16. Emma Claire and Jack were born following his death.
This story is a very personal one for me. I had the extreme privilege of meeting Mrs. Edwards last year when she was on her book tour for Saving Graces (a book I highly recommend). She wanted to meet with "mom bloggers" to chat about issues that were important to mothers and I was invited along with other Silicon Valley Mom Bloggers. Yes, she was promoting her book, but there was no ulterior motive. We talked about politics, the state of the nation, medical issues, and health care—not about her book.
Elizabeth Edwards is and will always be one of my heroes. I wish her the best and hope she lives a long life. We need her.
[photo credit: Stefania Pomponi Butler]
