Over 2,580 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with larynx cancer and 115,060 women air diagnosed with lung cancer every year. My grandmother was one of those lucky people to get it. In her early adult life she volunteered for helping others that were less fortunate. There were many things she would do for them as well. Animals, people and her family, were the things she helped the most. That’s why she was and still is my biggest influence in my life today. Helping others in there time of need and not asking for anything in return really showed my what kind of a person I want to be.

My grandmother gave most of her time to the animals. She helped them when they were injured, stray, or just plan hungry. She would take any animal she found back to her house and nurse it back to a health state. Giving them all the food they could ever need, cause she didn’t own a skinny animal. Some of the animals she has sheltered had become my family's animals. My dog, and three cats to begin with. She found my family's cats under her deck. Where she tool them in and called my dad over to take a look at them... And when that happened love at first site. The same thing happened with our dog. My grandparents didn’t have much money to spend on the animals, but they did what they could. That another reason I fell in love with the way my grandma treated others. All the animals that she would help, she would name. That’s because she always became so close to all of them, and rarely let any of them go. The many different kinds of animals had many personalities, just like the people she took care of.

I have met some of the people my grandmother has helped. They range from all ages, nut mostly was the elderly. She started doing this in the early years of her life, since she was a stay at home mom. Feeding them meals, helping them get around, and doing there daily life's are some of the things she had helped her elderly patients do. She also spent a lot of time at one of the churches a few blocks away from where she lives. This was one way she connected to god, and told him that she was helping others out with there problems. So I know she was very happy with that. Like the people she has helped, they sometimes become close friends. Just like our family.

With any problems in the family she would be the first one you went too. Patients and listening were her specialties. Just talking to her made you open up. All because of her amazing personality that made you want to talk and share her feelings. That's one of the reasons we became so close. Telling her every inch of my life and talking for hours is the times I remember the most. When cancer took her life 4 years ago, it didn’t seem fair to me. Why would a person like that who was always so nice to everyone else, die such a sad death. Almost like of my best friends had died. With family being on her mind all the time, I know she would want me to be happy. So I am.

With all the stray animals, elderly people, and our family she will and still is going to be the person that has influenced my life the most. So next time your with your influential person make sure you let them know. It could really make there day. Help out in this world towards other people and animals, because one day you could be in that statistic.