Stranger things happen on World Lymphoma Awareness Day
September 15. Hawkins, Indiana. It looked like just another ordinary dayโuntil Mike slapped a flyer onto the basement table.
โItโs World Lymphoma Awareness Day,โ he announced. โI saw it on the school bulletin board.โ The lime green ribbon on the paper glowed under the lampโs light.
Dustin leaned forward, squinting. โLymphomaโฆ sounds like a Demogorgonโs cousin. Big head, tiny arms?โ
Lucas groaned. โItโs not a monster, Dustin. Itโs blood cancer. It attacks your lymph nodes.โ
โOh.โ Dustin straightened up, suddenly serious. โWell, still a monsterโฆ just the real-life kind.โ
Eleven spoke quietly, but her voice carried weight. โHarder to fight than any monster. But not impossible.โ
Dustin tapped his cap. โSo what are the signs? Glowing green eyes? Tentacles? Drool?โ
Mike rolled his eyes. โNo, Dustin. Night sweats, fever, weight loss, swollen neck. Things people ignore until itโs too late.โ
Dustin clutched his neck dramatically. โWaitโswollen neck? After three burgersโฆ am I dying?!โ
Lucas laughed. โThat was just ketchup clogging your arteries.โ
Everyone chuckled, even Eleven. Then she lifted the flyer like it was a battle plan. โPeople need to know. If they see the signs early, they can fight.โ
Dustin grinned. โSo Iโm basically awarenessโannoying but useful.โ
Mike smiled. โExactly. Today weโre not saving Hawkins. Weโre saving livesโwith knowledge.โ
Elevenโs eyes were steady as she spoke the last words: โWe fight together.โ
And thatโs the real mission behind this yearโs theme: Recognize the Signs, Save a Life.
๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฑ๐๐๐ โข ๐ฝ๐บ๐๐พ๐.๐๐๐๐๐ผ.๐ป๐ ๐๐