Thankful for Faith

Writing here yesterday about Ysabel Duron, my mind wandered to memories of one of the first people I ever wrote about here in this blog - Faith Fancher. We never became close friends, but wow! What an impact she had. I saw her mostly out covering stories around the Bay Area and when I heard talk that she and her colleagues were reporting about her, I took notice. Yesterday I mentioned that Ms Duran was a cancer survivor (Hodgkins lymphoma). Ms Fancher didn't win her battle, but in fighting, she really made a difference.

Imagine being diagnosed with breast cancer (or any life-threatening disease for that matter). What a huge thing this is in your life! Now, imagine sharing this news, and very intimate details or your fight, with the entire world. Faith Fancher, an award-winning journalist, whom I first became aware of years ago when she and I both worked in Nashville, was a familiar face for San Francisco area television viewers, but she became more familiar when she shared her personal story of fighting breast cancer. Faith wanted to help other women. She wanted to make a difference. She was successful indeed with that. It has been nearly ten years since Faith passed away, but she lives on through "Friends of Faith," a charity to help low income breast cancer patients, that she founded. The reports she filed, or which were filed on her behalf by other reporters at her station, impacted many and will always be part of my memory. What a brave women, who thought of other people during her own very personal struggle.

I will always be thankful for Faith. She made a difference. That is what this blog is all about. Her legacy will continue to benefit others far into the future. You can be a part of it too. Go to http://www.faithfancher.org/ to learn more about their programs and to hear more about Faith Fancher. There is also information there about volunteering and about donating.