It happened without warning. One moment, I was enjoying watching a high school basketball game with other parents, and the next moment my son Ben is lying on the court holding his knee and screaming in pain. It was surreal…this couldn’t be happening, but it was, like a bad dream. He was down for a long time…it looked bad when it happened and I feared the worst. Since orthopedic surgeons typically don’t see patients evenings and weekends, we would have to wait until Monday to get a diagnosis. It was one of the longest weekends of our lives…anxious about the severity of the injury, but having to wait. Monday finally came and we saw the surgeon, who delivered the news we feared – likely two torn ligaments, but we’d need an MRI to confirm and assess the severity. More waiting…to get the MRI, and to get in to see the surgeon again. After several more days, we finally had a firm diagnosis and a plan for recovery. The surgery was scheduled…Ben would have to wait several more weeks before he could start his journey to recovery. While I can only imagine what it is like to have a child battling cancer, this experience gave me a glimpse of what it’s like to be a witness to your kid’s suffering. Your heart aches for them; you’d do anything to take that away from them and upon yourself. Childhood is supposed to be fun and carefree, where the biggest problems are social insecurity and the stress of schoolwork. Serious medical issues should be reserved for adults only. As bad as Ben’s injury was (painful recovery and many months of rehab), it was not life threatening. Sadly, many children battling cancer find themselves having to deal with thoughts about their own mortality, something a child should never have to face. As a parent, you’re supposed to have all the answers. From the time they were little, you’ve always been able to comfort them by telling them everything was going to be okay. With Ben, at least we had a firm diagnosis, and we had the sure path to recovery laid out for us. It would likely be a year-long process, but we had assurance that it was eventually going to be okay. Too often, it isn’t that way with childhood cancer. The diagnoses aren’t always certain. There are therapies to follow, but the success rates vary. There are tests, therapies, and visits to the Dr., with lots of waiting in between. Uncertainty, waiting, progress and setbacks…and it can go on for years. By contrast, Ben’s ordeal was less than a year. It was a long year, and it wasn’t smooth, but it is finally behind us. For too many kids and their parents, the gut wrenching, exhausting battle against cancer continues. So, as my head is being shaved, I will be thinking about the courageous parents and children who have fought and who continue to fight this terrible disease, and how I am hopeful that their suffering and heartache will someday come to an end.