I had a cancerous tumor removed from my bladder a few weeks before my 23rd birthday. It’s not something I talk about that much, but I think about it every day, especially because I was told that, while it’s not likely, the tumor could come back at any time. That knowledge tends to put a finer focus on how I lead my life, bringing clarity about what’s important. That clarity is something that Kristian Anderson, a 35-year-old Australian, can understand, as evidenced by the heartfelt video below that he made for his wife of seven years, Rachel, and one that features Hugh Jackman and John Key, the prime minister of New Zealand (since Rachel is a Kiwi).
As the Herald Sun reports, Kristian was diagnosed with bowel cancer nearly a year ago. Initially thinking it was hemorrhoids, he delayed getting it checked out, but after his wife urged him for months to see a doctor, he finally went. That’s when the tumor was discovered, and that the cancer had also spread to his liver.
He’s been undergoing chemotherapy ever since, and the diagnosis has been difficult to explain to the couple’s two sons, Cody, 3, and Jakob, 1. One can only imagine how trying it has to be for both Kristian and Rachel, but as Kristian demonstrates in the video, one that includes the couple’s two boys, he’s taking a positive approach to dealing with his disease. Made both as a birthday gift to Rachel and a thank-you note for all she’s done, the video is simple, eloquent and touching — and makes clear what’s important in Kristian’s life.
As a cancer survivor, I can only wish Kristian the same.
Rachel’s Birthday Video from Kristian Anderson on Vimeo.
Screengrab by Kristian Anderson via Vimeo.