Marvels of the human race

I have been, and almost definitely always will be, pesimistic about the race of human beings. Any species that can't resolve differences without blowing eachother up, which displays such unease and intolerance of those who's lifestyles and cultures are different and who will ultimately lead to the physical and psychological destruction of the entire planet ought to be severley kicked up the jacksie by the powers that be, if any such thing exists.
However, that is not to say that I cannot appreciate particular members of the human race who are just truly amazing people.
I would like to dedicate this post (yeah, what an honour eh?) to one person especially who I have spent the last few days in close proximity to and who has emphasised true bravery and has left me, once again, in awe of her.
This lady, tragically, was last year diagnosed with breast cancer. In the months since, rather than falling to pieces like would be expected, she has carried on as normal. I think, in well over half a year since she was diagnosed, I have only ever seen her with tears in her eyes on two occasions.
Not only does she put up with her condition and fight it, she continues to excel in areas that some perfectly healthy beings cannot hold a torch to. She has hardly taken any sick time off of work and continued to adhere to the pressures of retail employment. And, most of all, she has managed to maintain her warm personality and her amazing sense of humour at all times.
I can honestly say that I don't know how she does it.
This weekend, I was particularly concerned for her. It was my belief that she should not have been working, but, naively of me, I have often underestimated her. While she looked worryingly and heart wrenchily gaunt and exhausted, she was still merry and full of life and by an hour later, I was scalding myself for being patronising.
After a heavy weekend of work (I'm not saying that in a condescending way; I'm saying it because I found it heavy), she was in again the very next day; the same week she was having to travel for chemotherapy treatment.
Not only did she come in on Monday; she also planned to return to work on Friday.
Behind quite a small lady, lies unbreakable bravery and determination; so much so that it seems like she disreards her illness as nothing important. While I know it often weighs heavily on her mind, she never lets it show and anyone coming in and seeing her without knowing her will not notice that there is anything amiss.
Now, her lovely hair is growing back and she looks great. She is looking forward to the summer when it will all be over and she can say that she has won.
But, it is in my view that she doesn't have to wait for treatment to end for her to declare that. From the day she was diagnosed, she won the fight.
I am enormously proud to be her friend and I find it such an honour to know such an amazing woman.
And it puts the scumbags of the human race to great shame.