Ten years ago, in the summer of 2003, I was in the midst of writing and recording my 2nd album, Breathing Underwater.  I’d just started writing a song called “I’m Here,” but hadn’t finished it yet.  Then one day, in the middle of a recording session, I got a call from my mom.  “Honey, I just wanted to let you know that I have a temporary new address this weekend — I was admitted to the hospital yesterday.”

Wha-wha-WHAT?!?

I dropped everything to drive up to Northern CA and be with her.  It turns out she was having a bad reaction to her first dose of chemotherapy to treat Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, a diagnosis she’d received earlier that year.  During my six-hour drive up north, I re-worked my song to address my mom’s health crisis and ended up dedicating the song to her on the album.

“I’m Here” is a song of love and support for someone who provided wonderful care to me as a child.  She loved the song, and fortunately for me and my family, she completed her chemo and beat her cancer into remission, and is now considered cured!

Today, ten years on, she’s back to taking care of me as I go through my own treatments for a rare type of Lymphoma called Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia. I’m so lucky to have her in my life!

Please click on the link below to download “I’m Here” for free.

I hope you enjoy the music and share it with your loved ones. Cheers!

~Ali

Free Download Link:
I’m Here by Ali Handal.mp3

Click Here to Purchase the Album Breathing Underwater