Alison Thompson is my mom and my hero.

In February 2017, my father Ivan was diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma. It is a horrible diagnosis and one that devastated our entire family. But throughout it all, my mom has been there to be the main support for my father as he battles this disease. My sister Danielle and I live in cities far away from my parents and though we are there in spirit, it is my mom who is my dad’s main caregiver. She does it all–scheduling appointments, organizing medication, dealing with insurance, and the million other small things that caregivers must worry about. All this while juggling a full-time job and being a wonderful mother and grandmother. 

My mom isn’t a person who wants attention. She, like all of us, would much rather not be in this situation. But Mom, we see you. We see what you have given and what you have sacrificed. We see the notebooks that log doctor’s notes and the miles spent driving to the hospital and the hours in the waiting room. We love you and we thank you.