Courage

Though Lucy's level of courage can largely be attributed to her mother, there's no doubt that she does withstand a great deal of pain and suffering and seems to do so generally without complaint. Even at a young age, Lucy is aware that what she's withstanding isn't normal and draws comfort from that fact. For example, when children are teasing her or adults are staring, she sometimes draws strength from the fact that she has undergone painful surgeries and treatments that most other people couldn't have withstood. Her knowledge that this is so seems to come from her mother.

From the very first trip to the hospital, Lucy's mother tells her that she's brave and reinforces the idea that crying is shameful. Her mother says that Lucy's sister would not have been so brave. Just as Lucy is to undergo a bone marrow test, her parents prepare to...