Anxiety was an awful thing, but well-deserved after everything Arly and the others had done to Benny over the weekend. She was convinced the police would be coming to her door every time she heard the sirens pass her dorm room...

Everything was going well. They made it inside. Tom disarmed the security system. The lock to the safe was easy to bypass. Arly couldn’t believe their luck. This plan of theirs was going to work. They were going to use the money to do some good. They were–...

Tom’s question went unanswered because Arly didn’t know what to do about Benny. He had always seemed to be a kind and compassionate human being, with a decent sense of what was right and wrong. However, he was also the son of a man who knowingly allowed his company to hurt others and benefited from the empire his father built...

Several long, tiring days passed before Arly found herself in the ethics class again. She knew that their lunchtime conversation had very little bearing on reality, and, realistically, the likelihood that either man would be interested in committing a serious crime was small...

Arly proved to be a determined young woman when she had her mind set on something, which Kyran and Tom came to learn in the days following the trial’s conclusion. Every day, they found her in the courtyard researching the newest update in the case. They appreciated that Arly did not seem interested in dragging them into the mess with her...

Tags: cancer awareness, cancer, colorectal cancer, dad, family, grief, health, wellness.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and the Colorectal Cancer Alliance is challenging you to avoid assumptions and get more information about colorectal cancer that my help you or a loved one manage this deadly disease.

For the month of March, J.C. Ballard's Inspired Works is going blue to support colorectal cancer awareness!

Colorectal cancer – cancer that starts in the colon or rectum – is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in men and women combined in the United States. Approximately 140,000 people are diagnosed and more than 50,000 people die from colon cancer in the U.S. annually. At the same time, colorectal cancer is also the most preventable and treatable type of cancer. The five-year survival rate for colorectal cancer found at the local stage is 90 percent, compared to 14 percent for colorectal cancer found at distant stages.

Through research and education about prevention, screening, and treatment, it is possible to end colorectal cancer in our lifetime. Whether you are a patient navigating your diagnosis or caregiver providing support, the Colorectal Cancer Alliance has resources for you.

For more information, visit dontassume.org.

In the week that passed, Arly learned more about the men she peer-reviewed each period. She knew that Tom’s parents did not approve of his artistic aspirations. He also wasn’t near as much of an asshole as she expected. She knew that Kyran wanted to return to Africa when he completed his studies to work towards a better future there...

Tags: cancer, dad, death, grief, personal essay, reflection.