But after a few rounds of tests and a colonoscopy, Waller got some devastating news: she has colon cancer. “When I woke up and [the doctor] told me I had a large tumor, it was a complete shock, because I can’t have cancer,” she explained in her video. “I mean, I’m a nurse. I take care of people. I tell you if you have cancer. I treat you. I can’t have cancer. Yet, here I am.” Waller didn’t comment on her prognosis, except to say she’s lucky she caught it because the cancer is in her lymph nodes and spreading fast. “I’m gonna fight,” she said. “I’m gonna fight like hell.” More than 50,000 Americans die from colon cancer each year, even though doctors see the illness as largely preventable and treatable when caught early. But Waller’s reminder isn’t just important for raising awareness about colon cancer. It’s also the inspiration most of us needed to do a better job of keeping an eye on our health in general. As parents, so many of us worry about being super mom or super dad for our kids. But as Waller’s video proves, sometimes the most important thing we can possibly do for our own well-being and for our families is to make ourselves a priority.
