DaNine

This was harder than I ever thought it would be. Literally, I have known Tamika all of her life. I have always prided myself in being the “big cousin.” Although I am only a year older than Tamika, it didn’t matter. It was always my mission to make sure no one messed with my little cousin. This meant at school, while at play or anywhere. Our parents also instilled in us that we were to take care of each other.

I remember her days of holding a brush acting like it was a microphone saying she was going to have her own show like Oprah and be a STAR. I remember the dreams, the boyfriends, the good times and the not so good times. I also remember our “childhood” secrets that always seemed to spill over into our young adulthood.

I was thrilled when Tamika decided to attend the same college that I attended, the distinguished Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Although we each had our own friends, we were never too far away and I continued as the sometimes overprotective cousin. We both flourished and thrived and went into our own career paths after graduation.

I will never forget the telephone call that would change our lives forever. Anyone who knows Tamika knows she was always joking around so it was sometimes difficult to take her seriously. In fact, many times as she would say “No, stop, this is serious.” She would be amidst laughter. I was at work and about 6 months pregnant when the call came.

Tamika: DaNine, I have something to tell you.
DaNine: Girl, you better not be pregnant!
Tamika: No, this is serious, listen.
DaNine: complete silence (the only time I had ever heard her this serious is when she told me that her father, whom she was extremely close to had died).
Tamika: I have cancer (while her voice cracked).
DaNine: What, you have what?
Tamika: I have cervical cancer
DaNine: Cervical cancer, oh Lord!

Little did I know as she began to explain this to me and as we cried together that our lives would forever be changed. I vowed that she would live and not die as we talked and prayed together. At that time I knew absolutely NOTHING about HPV and very little about cervical cancer. But I knew that my little cousin was on the brink of life and death and that she had too much to live for to consider taking time out to DIE!

Through many tears and conversations Tamika & Friends, Inc. was developed. Much like many other grassroots organizations we had a purpose and would not or could not allow anything to impede upon the fact that NO ONE should have to endure what Tamika had to endure and that our job was to assist in educating the world about HPV and its link to cervical cancer.

None of us had a clue what the procedure was for developing a non-profit organization, but we learned. This was far too important not to do. With the faith the size of a mustard seed I vowed that we would work so that Tamika & Friends, Inc. would one day be a global organization existing solely to save lives and God has greatly blessed us. It is only by God’s grace, a sheer miracle that my little cousin, Tamika Lynn Felder is here today and I am proud to be a part of Tamika & Friends, Inc. as a testament to her life and what will forever be a legacy!