I did a story back in Chattanooga about a High School girl with cancer. I'm going to call her "Dana" in this blog because I don't want to reveal her name without her permission. Anyways, Dana was a sweetheart. Unfortunately, (for me anyway) I never had the opportunity to meet her. I had to anchor the 7pm news the day her story was to air and well, we had to send a photographer. I remember going through the footage and editing the story and just thinking how amazing this girl was. A high school girl with cancer.. I can't imagine. I can't imagine going through cancer in general but especially high school. High School is hard enough as it is.
So anyway, her grandmother sent me this post on Facebook recently:
thankful today that "Dana's" teammates
all have her back, when the student fans from Oliver Spring were making
fun of her and calling her a boy, saying ugly things to her on the
court, they stood up for her. Not the way I wished for her season to
start, but so thankful she was able to play. She has been blessed with
some coaches who love her no matter what and teammates, she considers
her dearest friends.
I can't tell you how angry this made me. This poor girl is struggling for her life and you have audacity to make fun of her? I just don't understand why kids are so mean. The bullying, the name calling it's got to stop. I was always made fun of as a kid. I wasn't pretty, I was short, I had a squeaky voice.. the list goes on. I was strong enough to brush it off (for the most part) but not everyone is. I know Dana is strong enough to brush it off but it doesn't mean this should happen.
I'm happy Dana has great friends to stick up for her and fight for her when she can't. But, I'm just angry. I can't help it. If it was my way we would all go to her next game and hold signs for her. No one deserves to be treated this way.. No one.
