Opening Facebook just now, the first two posts were from friends facing down cancer.

One a face to face friend, whose partner is suffering from the residuals of cancer treatment.

Chemotherapy is hard enough, alone, let alone dealing with the conditions that develop from the chemo and the drugs used to treat both the chemo and the residual conditions.

Not minor side effects, we’re talking life threatening side effects that land one in the hospital. The CCU and ICU.

That’s the case with the second post, this from a facebook friend, who I met and got to know through Facebook as she’s a widely known veteran journalist.

Hospital for the holidays keeping hope alive. I know it very well from Jill’s cancer fight which landed her in the hospital at this time last year.

I imagine this friend in her hospital bed, iPhone or iPad in hand, updating us all, as she regularly does.

An update to those who care. A post to “engage” when you most need to feel you’re “engaging.” I certainly felt the need last year.

Nothing updates and engages like Facebook. You’re not going to call and write letters to everyone.

More people use Facebook than anything else online.

Facebook’s algorithms get what you post to those would receive the most value from your post. How else would I see friends sharing posts on cancer and the holidays?

Having lost Jill to cancer, I want to help others where I can. Maybe it’s sharing our story so others can learn how to face cancer and how to help their friends and loved ones who are cancer patients.

I also want to offer support to those suffering from cancer, especially now at Christmas.

Facebook, like no other medium, gives me the opportunity to do this.

Facebook is taking a beating in the media.

It’s become popular for folks to brag that they do not use Facebook. Your loss.

For me, Zuck has brought us all a little closer and given us the opportunity to help more people.

I am finding that to be a very good thing – especially when it comes to fighting cancer at Christmas.