★ Stars of Inspiration ✧ Poppa-Moon ★
- Yue Selene
- Jun 15
- 5 min read
It sounds cheesy, really, but I am one of those people who truly thinks I have the best Dad in the world. At very least, he is the best dad for me. From a young age, I was always a "daddy's girl", going out to watch superhero movies together or playing Pokemon games together. There are so many amazing times I have had with him and I feel very blessed to have the father I do.
Aside from our shared love for animated pocket monsters and people in capes, my dad and I also share something else... a rare, genetic bone disorder, called M.H.E. Really, the disorder itself is a topic for a different blog post as it is quite the thing to grow up with, and shaped a lot of who I am. For here, I will give the quick and dirty information: Benign tumours of bone grow throughout our entire body. This mostly just causes chronic pain and growth issues, however there is a very rare chance that any given "bump" (our fun word for the tumours) is cancerous. In childhood, this is a 2-3% chance. In adulthood, it increases to 5%.
The Initial Diagnosis
5% isn't that much. It is such a small number that I never really thought about that possibility as... well... a possibility. Unfortunately, lightning can indeed strike, and in 2020 we got the news that my father had developed cancer - chondrosarcoma. He had been having severe back pain, and they discovered a 17cm long tumour growing on his spine. We went straight into action - doctors appointments to find the best surgical oncologist that we could, buying specialized equipment for their house to help with mobility, and preparations for a major surgery. Luckily, this all went well, his surgery was a success, and though he needed to do a lot of rehab (from lost muscle strength/literal lost muscle), we all breathed easy - he is in remission.
There is an XKCD comic about cancer. It explains that most people think of cancer like a highway with off-ramps. You're on the highway for a while, and the cancer either kills you or you go into remission - an off-ramp from the highway. Instead, it compares cancer to a highway with interchanges. You're on the highway for a bit, and then you go off (in remission) onto an interchange for a while... You may be on this road for a long time but there is always the chance that it will veer back into the highway.
Back on the Road Again
in 2022, we got the news that my father was back on the highway. We prepared for round 2, back to that same, expert surgical oncologist, back into doctor appointments and making plans. His surgery was successful again, in that it got rid of the cancer. Less successful in the amount of surgical complications he had. Everything from dileria to massive infections plagued him... he spent over 70 days straight in the hospital. He even managed to trigger a rare, autoimmune disorder called M.G., where his immune system attacks his nerves. Quick shout out to Canada for our free health care!
Eventually, he did get to leave the hospital, feeling down and dejected. He had gotten through it, but he was tired, weary, and ready for rest. Radiation and chemo do not work for his type of cancer, and he needed to heal and get into a good medication system for his M.G. Slowly, since then, he has managed to bounce back. Him and my mom moved from their 3 story house to a smaller, more manageable mobile home. He took up hobbies like baking breads and raising plants. Things got to a great point and in the background, I became a streamer and started doing my Lunar Light of Love series, dedicating the first stream to my father.
Third Time's a Charm
In 2025, a little under a month ago, we got the news that, once again, his cancer is back. This time, his oncologist summoned a council of oncologists from across our province, and they reviewed his scans and history, having a good conference about his case. Unfortunately... they came back with that awful news for the third time.
So we are back... back to the planning, back to the doctors appointments, back to the operating room. Currently, he is waiting on the results of his biopsy to determine how bad it is, and then they will move onto the "what do we do about this" stage of discussions. He is scared, he is tired...
A True Inspiration
... but he is fighting. That's the thing about my dad, and one of the things I have always admired most about him. He is a fighter. He has been his whole life. Growing up when he did, they didn't have the same treatments and medicine for the bone condition. Despite many surgeries that had long-lasting effects, he always stayed strong and kept moving forward. He has had well over 40, probably over 50 surgeries in his life now (you lose count after a while), and man, he is champ still.
This is also how he raised me. "This bone condition is part of us, but it doesn't define us or stop us from living our life". That was the sentiment growing up. Scars were not "ugly scars" but rather beauty marks. You might not always be able to run around with the other kids, but you know what you can do? Play video games with them, go for slower walks, etc. Never let the condition hold you down. In hindsight, it's probably why I push myself so hard and am having troubles with my own body as it goes through the degenerative aspect of the disorder... yet at the same time, I wouldn't change a thing.
These are lessons that I will also pass to my two children, both of whom have been diagnosed with M.H.E. That they can try anything, and where they find they are not able to do stuff, life has so many options that there is always something you can do with a friend.
My father is truly one of the people I admire most. As he goes through this fight, I will post about it here, talk about different aspects and the impacts that it has on both him and the family. I will also be continuing to dedicate Lunar Light of Love to him, until such a time as he is healed and I can move to one of the other family members I have seen struggle with his disease.
Raising Money for
Stand Up To Cancer!
The Lunar Light of Love series raises money for the charity Stand Up To Cancer, which supports research and treatment for people suffering through cancer.
Every dollar raised goes directly to the charity!
Please consider donating ~ Check out the link below:
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