I read this story written by Jaye Watson and just had to post....
www.11alive.com
ATLANTA -- This is how a story is born. At least, this story.

Several weeks ago, Jill Becker was standing near my desk talking with our News Director, Ellen Crooke, about some stories she was working on. Jill was going to profile some mothers of children with cancer and the extraordinary things they were doing outside of battling their child's disease.

I couldn't help but pipe up from my cubicle, "Well then we should tell your story."

Ellen thought it was a great idea and assigned me to do the story.

In the spirit of full disclosure, Jill is one of my dearest friends and we have been very close for the ten years I've worked for 11Alive News.

I knew about her son's battle with cancer. We had actually talked about quite a bit, especially after I became a mother. That joyful transformation also comes with all the fears of what could possibly happen to your children. So I repeatedly asked her how in the world she dealt with Matthew's diagnosis at the age of three. She was always very straightforward and simple in her answer: "You just do," she would tell me. "You just do what you have to do to get through it."

Jill was hesitant to do the story. Not that she didn't want to talk about what her family had gone through, but she told me she didn't want to group herself in with the mothers she was profiling as "quiet heroes." Of course this only made me want to do the story more. I told Jill I wasn't doing a "hero" piece; I was doing a story on her family's experience. I reminded her that by sharing her story she would be giving people hope, even comfort.

Jill told me her son Matthew, 22 years old and a recent college graduate, didn't remember too much from the entire ordeal. But when we interviewed Matthew we were surprised how much he said, sharing things with us he hadn't told his mom, I think because he didn't want to let her know he remembered a lot of the pain.

Matt remembered happy times, such as when his dad and his older brother Greg brought fireflies in a jar to the hospital where he was a patient. But when we asked him about what he remembered about his mom and dad from that time period, he grew silent and seemed to hesitate before saying he remembered receiving painful spinal shots and that Jill was right there, holding his hands, helping him count down until the painful procedure was completed. Matt cried remembering this and it surprised Jill later to learn that he had recalled this from 19 years ago.

Matt also talked about going to Camp Sunshine, saying it was the best place on earth. He returned a few years ago as a counselor, in charge of a group of seven-year-olds. One of his campers, Ryan Morgan, died earlier this summer. In Ryan's death Matt was given a glimpse of what his own Mom and Dad went through, tearfully telling us, "It's almost like when Mom and Dad did it for me, and you have to stay strong for them and help them out."

Of course Jill and her husband John recall everything from that time period, but Jill shared a story she has told very few people, of the night Matthew was diagnosed with T-Cell Lymphoma. The two of them were alone in the hospital.

"He was sitting in bed and he said 'what are we going to do, Mommy?' And I said, 'about what, honey?' and he said, 'about the trouble.' He called it 'the trouble'. I went over and I grabbed his little hands and I said: 'Matty, you have got to get through this. We have to get through this, okay?' He said okay. I said, 'let's seal it with a kiss,' so then we kissed, and this thing went through me... It was like I'd gotten shocked or something. I believe that was God to me. It was one of the most remarkable experiences of my life: that moment."

Matt went through radiation and chemotherapy and, within 15 months, was given a clean bill of health. The tumor that had been crushing his lung had disappeared. It never returned.

Just a few years ago, Jill received an e-mail from the oncologist who had treated Matt. She read part of it to us: "God truly does perform miracles and Matt is one of them. When he was diagnosed, his age, his sex, the size, and location of the tumor, and the cell type were all working mightily against us but we all just soldiered on and left the rest up to God. I am humbled every time I think of your little guy and the wonderful young man he has grown up to be."

It was shock for Jill and her husband to learn that Matt had been one of the few survivors.

Jill's family has a very strong faith. Matt told us when he prays every day the first thing he does is thank God for his health. "It's really helped me to be thankful. I have a really strong faith too. There's got to be someone up there. It's such a miracle, you know?"

His grateful parents agree. "We do feel really blessed and we have a lot to thank God for."

Our story aired Monday morning. Jill chose not to watch it beforehand. She was nervous, admitting she felt a little nauseous before seeing the story, but I watched her while we all sat on the set and I knew it meant a lot to her, allowing us to tell her son's story.

Jill also knows she's one of the lucky ones. Her son has not merely survived; he has thrived, growing into a fine young man who told us of his father: "He's the man I want to be when I grow up. I hope to be half the man he is."

About Jill, he told us she was so strong and always there, and that every memory he has from his childhood cancer includes his mother's face.

That's why Jill is still involved in the fight against childhood cancer. That's why she tells the stories of hero Moms. And that's why we know she is to be counted among those heroes, whether she agrees or not.