Jim Ricks and Keisha Graves.
Not externally, at least.
But Keisha Graves and Jim Ricks, cancer survivors formally meeting for the first time last week to discuss their nominations as Relay For Life Honorary Team Captains, became fast friends — the way veterans of separate but hard-fought battles often do.
Graves waged a war against Ewing's Sarcoma, a form of bone cancer. At the same time, Ricks was engaged in his own fight against colon cancer.
Though they have both won battles against cancer, neither will say their wars are over.
"Right now we don't know if we're through with it or not," Ricks said. "Every time you have a pain you think its cancer."
Graves nodded. Her cancer in remission since December, she currently visits a doctor every six weeks for a check-up. Soon that will be reduced to every three months, as Ricks is presently doing.
Conversing easily, the two were eager to learn how their treatments paralleled and how they diverged. Both agreed dining was more enjoyable — food better tasting — without metal silverware or aluminum cans.
They both agreed on the importance of prayers — not just those from friends, but also their own.
"You know it got there if you did it yourself," Graves said. "I even pray for [those] I don't know."
Ricks was quickly enamored with Graves, and found himself apologizing for the fact she'd "had such a hard time." Ricks himself was recovering from pancreatitis, a very painful disease in its own right, when he was diagnosed with stage-three colon cancer.
"You're a great young lady," he said. "I'm glad to meet you."
"Anybody that's gone through it can sympathize with each other," he said.
For the rest of this story, please see this week's edition of The Cadiz Record.
