Lyrics
Story: In 2022 when my little brother was just 20 years old, we got the call that stopped our whole world: he was diagnosed with Stage 3B colorectal cancer. He had to pause everything and start a new life. He temporarily left college, moved back home, cut his waist-length hair, stopped being a vegetarian and faced a terrifying new reality of chemo, radiation, and surgery. But the most incredible part of this entire journey was his mindset. While my family and I were worried and I was spiraling down researching medical journals and Reddit forums, consumed by the dreadful uncertainty of waiting for test results, he maintained a balance of hope, pragmatism and changed his whole lifestyle to do the work and beat this thing. Even when we learned it had metastasized to his lymph nodes and possibly his right lung, he never complained, taking everything day by day and accepting the things he couldn't control. We all rallied around him, his partner flew 2,000 miles to be by his side, he had surgery and everything was miraculously successful. I wrote this song as a tribute to his absolute resilience, the power of our family's support, and that unforgettable moment when he finally rang the bell for full remission. To this day we learned that uncertainty sucks and causes the most anxiety. Even with bad news, you can plan around it. It didn't matter to him; he led the way and is a true success story. My inspiration. Lyrics: [Intro] Check the rhime y'all Yeah say it with me Screw cancer [Verse 1] Got the call, world stalled, petty problems hit the wall Mom shared the news, you were the only thought at all My little brother, twenty years, with his future postponed Used to draw in the dark till the basement got cold And Anime upon the screen, painting childhood scenes I was worried reaching out, keeping everything serene Thought you'd panic and pace, you didn't worry one bit Just a stoic, steady kid who refused to ever quit So I swallowed my pain, kept my feelings concealed Booked two tickets cross country, seeing what would reveal Got the scans that you needed, we were there the whole way The results were delayed. All that we could do was pray [Chorus] Not knowing is always the hardest part Just say a prayer with your whole heart Don't let uncertainty control your mind Just give it time. Just give it time [Verse 2] Yeah down the Reddit rabbit hole, scrolling, losing control Checking charts every hour, peak paranoia rolled The diagnosis came through, results we analyzed Colorectal, 3B, and it had metastasized We made moves real fast, paused your education Couldn't risk mutations or other complications We cut your long hair down, that's when it felt real And it all seemed to change while your attitude was steel More scans, change in plans, you just needed a chance Your partner flew two thousand miles, to hold your weakened hands You started a routine, pushing past regret That no sweat, mindset, to beat the cancer threat [Chorus] Not knowing is always the hardest part Just say a prayer with your whole heart Don't let uncertainty control your mind Just give it time. Just give it time [Bridge] Just give it time Just give it time Just give it time Just give it time [Verse 3] Radiation hit you hard, but a new routine was born Living steady day by day, trudging through this crazy storm Dad was saving your life with bojangles chicken Mom handled all the doctors and was always there to listen Your sister kept you busy and distracted your mind And when the world was unkind, I wasn't far behind Your friends chanted with you, "yeah screw cancer man" And when the surgery came we were all there to band Together where we learned how successful it had been They eradicated all of it with nothing left within We thanked all the doctors, and you rang that bell loud All that effort for remission, we couldn't be more proud [Chorus] Not knowing is always the hardest part Just say a prayer with your whole heart Don't let uncertainty control your mind Just give it time. Just give it time [Outro] Yeah Just listen You led the way, little brother We just followed Screw cancer.