Sunni Malek, always ebullient and eager to take whatever next step presented itself for her, as outgoing and welcoming a woman as you could imagine, had every reason to think her life would proceed uncomplicated by crisis of any particular kind. When she was struck by breast cancer and finished with her treatment, she had reason to look to the rest of her very busy and productive life as trouble-free. Things were fine. Year after year for eighteen years. Then came the unexpected diagnosis of cancer in the other breast. Double mastectomy, chemotherapy, reconstruction and hard as it was, life went on and Sunni’s natural buoyancy carried her back to the top. In the last few months, shortness of breath and weakness led to yet one more cancer diagnosis, this one a rare form requiring a difficult treatment regimen.
Sunni has a firm grip on reality and wants people to know the difference between living with a disease and dying of it. Sunni is, in addition to all her other qualities, a born communicator, who has some important things to say regarding recognizing breast cancer, symptoms that do not show up by self-examination and what things have given her the most strength. You may be surprised.
Sunni’s generosity in sharing this story is heartening, her energy and love a lesson all its own.
Worth noting since we are about love letters, that Sunni still has letters from her father in his own handwriting as she points out and that his penmanship is beautiful like calligraphy. She has plans to write some letters to the people in her life who have been part of her journey from strength to fragility and back again to strength. What better way to honor those who have guided us along a difficult path than a letter of appreciation, AKA a love letter.