Terry Gallagher - An inspiration from heaven

Hello everyone,

Terry Gallagher is a loving husband to Mimi, a great father to three beautiful children (one adorable girl with alopecia), a coach, mentor and a very dear friend of mine is diagnosed with colon cancer on 7th January 2008. Terry and family have ever since beaming like a great lighthouse in a world of turbulence, trials and suffering, not shining towards themselves but towards to God. Bringing us back to what truly matters in life.

Their faith has been the strongest and never a slightest hint of blaming God or others for their pain at the moment. Even going through many the tiring and invasive procedures to treat his cancer, Terry never forgets to put a smile on his face for his family and never forgets to acknowlegde his friends and supporters. We're blessed that Terry continues to inspire us everyday through his faith and family. Let us all say a prayer to thank God for him and ask the Lord to sustain Terry and family according to His wisdom and grace as they fight and win this battle of cancer.

I have attached one of the post from Mimi, Terry's wife (Hope you find it inspirational and helpful)

"Hi this is Mimi. It has been a LONG time since I last posted but I have enjoyed reading Terry’s take on life lately.

Tomorrow is a big day for us and we ask that you keep Terry and our family in your prayers. We are meeting with Dr. Grothe, our oncologist at 9:45 to review the results of the CT scan that was performed on Friday of this past week. Thanks to Jamie Engel who drove Terry to and from Mayo for the day of tests. Jaime’s assistance with transportation allowed me the opportunity to host a gathering for Rose’s dear friend, Sarah Larson, who will be moving, with her family, to Kansas at the end of next week. The Larson family has been a rock for us and was instrumental in assisting us with our initial visit to Mayo. We firmly believe that God placed them in our lives when we so needed them and now He is moving them to Kansas to continue doing His work here on earth. We will miss them terribly and we wish them many blessings in their new home and new community.

We are all anxious about the news tomorrow and are hopeful that we will have stable conditions or shrinkage. We know that stable is good as it means that the treatments are arresting growth and shrinkage would be a HUGE bonus!!! The kids are nervous as they know that this time around is far more challenging than one year ago.

We had a family meeting before Terry’s last surgery to let the kids know of the new challenges with the recurrence of the cancer. Tommy commented that “this isn’t fair”. He is correct. Many things in life are not fair. Yet we did explain that God has given us a gift. We know that Dad has cancer and we now know that he is no longer “curable” according to today’s drugs etc… We also know that every day is a gift and God has given us the opportunity to know the importance of making memories, every day. Each day our kids and Terry or Terry and I have an opportunity to make memories. Whether the memory is a great vacation or just watching a movie with dad or learning something new from dad we can make each and every interaction into a memory. Terry and I knew that we should have been living with this mentality all along but we were so busy in our day to day activities that we failed to make the most of every day. We encourage each one of you to make a memory today and every day with your loved ones. We are fortunate to understand the need to make memories and recognize that many lives are lost in a moments notice without ever having or taking the time to leave behind the memories that were desired. Make the most of everyday. Hug and kiss the ones you love and let them know how important they are to you.

Thanks for your continued prayers and all of your support. We are blessed to have all of you in our lives.

May God Bless You Today and Always!!!

Mimi "

I am practically in tears after reading this post, I was saying to myself "the husband, the wife, the children shouldnt be going through all this at all".

Want to know more about Terry's latest update? Please drop by his website journal at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/terrygallagher . Drop him a message and support him and his wonderful family. I am blessed greatly to know Terry and his family and have the blessing of meeting them in 2007 and look forward in meeting them again.

Joshua

Please click here to visit Terry Gallagher's website.

This post is actually my comment to a blogpost featured on Alopecia World forum

"Normally, hair growth have three to four phases. The anagen (active growing phase), catagen ( involuting/ regressing phase) and telogen (arrested phase) and less notible exogen (shedding phase)UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES. At any time most of the hair (about 90%) is in the anagen phase, a few % in catagen, and about 10% in telogen phase.The hair on our head have long anagen phase (several years) and short telogen phase ( a few months) while our eyebrows have shorter anagen phase (several months) and longer telogen phase (more than a few months). This explains why our hair in much longer and actively growing on our head while our eyebrows are shorter.Many studies have related alopecia areata with the hair growth phases/cycle. Many results suggest that the T-lymphocytes have held the hair follicle arrested for a much longer period (abnormal) in the telogen phase, as well as catagen phase (which then is related to exogen...when the hair shed).So basically, for people like me with alopecia universalis. I have about 80% of the hair on my scalp under abnormally long telogen phase or catagen phase while only a few dozen strands scattered across my head with normal hair growth phases. Thats why I still need to shave my head at least once every two days to keep my head clean.While we still couldn't predict our hair loss, we still know what is happening to our hair.You can check more information about what happened to our hair follicle as in alopecia areata at my blog @ http://joshuablogspace.blogspot.com/ and click onto the alopecia archive/label starting on February 17th ( a series of article about alopecia areata) which I have written a few months earlier.Hope you'll find it useful and informative.Take care.jt"

Joshua

God made everyone for a reason.

A blog adapted from Alopecia World (http://www.alopeciaworld.com/) posted by Alex "Did things change or am I just noticing them more?"

"I've had Alopecia for as long as I can remember. My entire life I've dealt with the stares and double takes, just like everyone else. For the most part, it didn't bother me...at all. I would brush it off and not take any notice to it anymore. Walking through the mall or anywhere else, I expected people to look, so I almost stopped realizing when this happened. Why then, is it starting to bother me all of a sudden? It doesn't make any sense.

Since I was little I've always gotten compliments. People constantly tell me how they wish they could be as confident as I am. Strong and confident. Am I strong? Confident? Does not caring what other people think make me confident? Or does it just help me mask the reality of living with a disease that is not "acceptable" (for lack of a better word) in today's superficial world? I don't know anymore.

And who do I talk to? Of course I have everyone on this website and people that I've met at the conventions over the years, but words just don't seem to cut it anymore. What is there to do? I have beautiful wigs, but that's not me. I don't feel like I should hide who I am to please other people. Then what is it?

Maybe it has nothing to do with Alopecia. Maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm depressed and don't know why. Maybe this is my scapegoat. Again, why? I have a great life: family, friends (I think), a home, clothes, food. I have more than some people unfortunately can only dream about. What am I missing that is making me feel so miserable lately?

Music is my therapy. I just sit and listen. I think about the words and how I can relate or not relate. As I was writing this I had my iTunes on shuffle (I cannot even think without some background music.). "Lucky" by Britney Spears just came on, and I think that is pretty much how I feel right now. "She's so lucky, she's a star, but she cry, cry, cries in her lonely heart thinking, if there's nothing missing in my life, then why do these tears come at night?" This pretty much sums up everything I'm feeling right now. "

My reply to Alex is:

"Hi Alex,

I might have too much to say again. Nope, reading your blog has not bored me to death, how could it be if one of my alopecian friends needed a pair of listening ears?

I agree that the society has placed too much on superficial look than it actually worths, and it doesn't mean that when most part of the society is wrong, we should also adhere to the value.

If there is people judging us by how we look or what we have or not have physically, then I feel sorry for them. As I have said in my earlier reply to another post, the works and values of people who hold on in their life will stand the test of time, for they will be remembered for decades, centuries because of their works and inspirations. I couldn't think of one person who is remembered for centuries to come because of their physical attractiveness. Even the prettiest girls and handsomest boys cannot escape the reality of aging and eventually meets death.

Let me set you a story, tulips and roses are planted in city gardens where many people can adore. They bloom into glorious beauty and colour under the breath of spring. People in the city and by the road, would stop by, complimenting the flowers and take pictures of the flowers...etc...but soon enough they fade away and be forgotten.

However, the fruit trees are different. For example, the apple trees, they are not planted in city streets where many people can come and adore, a fruit tree may look like an ordinary tree where people does not appreciate, but when it blooms and bear fruit...the apple tree is the most beautiful of all...and it does not stop just there, the fruits supply nutrients and become food that feed the hunger and provide to the poor, countless people benefit from it.

The society may not think that alopecians are beautiful, we may not be the jewel of city, we may not be "attractive" to a big part of the society. But do not be disheartened and discouraged because I am sure then, when the time comes...you'll realize you're better than many "superficial" people out there.

Talking about Britney Spears, she had all the she has or a person could ever ask for, famous, rich, pretty, a partner, a family but yet it all meant nothing to her because of her poor choices.

At the end of the day, it is the choices we make in life will change everything and not whether we have alopecia or not.

Joshua "

God made everyone for a reason, and everyone is important! Remember that! If you're not a beautiful tulip, you might very well be a blossoming fruit tree!

Joshua