ACS Relay for Life
This is the third time I've tried to write this up and nothing has sounded quite right to me. I'm gonna try one more time...
Prax and I made the trip from Baltimore to Reston (in fracking Virginia) and joined the rest of Team Wench for the Relay for Life. The team ended up meeting its fundraising goals (thanks to everyone) and the event ended up making well over $300k. I was asked if I would be TW's entry for Miss. Relay. With the help of Prax and the rest of TW Ms. Lumpy won and was named Miss. Relay 2006 (I'm sure someone will post pictures).
It was really an experience and there were a few moments that were very touching.
When we were signing in for the Survivors Dinner there was a little girl next to me getting upset. "Mommy I'm 12 and when we found out I was six so that's six years right?" The math was really upsetting her so I leaned over and said to her, "It's okay sweety I'm having trouble with that too." She hit me withthe biggest smile, damn near brought a tear to my eye.
During the dinner they gave away door prizes to folks one was for the Youngest Survivor. Sure enough that little girl raised her hand and said "12"; then another little girl raised her hand and said "I'm eight". I felt my heart being ripped right out of my chest.
It can be hard to deal with severve illness as an adult, it's a bitch when kids get sick, but damn how do you even explain cancer to an eight year old.
After the dinner it was back out to the track for the Survivors Lap. All the survivors had the track to themselves (almost). I walked with the other survivor from Team Wench and it was very touching to have several hundred folks all cheering and blowing bubbles. It was then time for the caregivers to join us and we made another lap. I said "almost" when I wrote that the survivors had the track to themselves because there were two survivors who were pushed in wheel chairs and one gentleman (damn I'm clipping up just typing this).
Well you see this man was wheeled out on to the track and his family helped him to stand, he was in a harness and different members of his family were all around him. They kept him upright as he walked around the track, it took him about 10 minutes to make that one lap but he did it. By sheer determination and with the love of those who cared for him he finished his lap, to the cheers and applause of everyone, on his own feet.
This event really hit home to me, it made me think of the many family members who have passed from cancer (every male member on my fathers side that has passed since I've been alive has died from cancer) and my family and friends who are still living with it (my mother has been fighting breast cancer since I was my sons age). I cried during the Luminarium with Prax's hand in mine.
Cancer is a mutation of healthy cells.
You do not live with cancer.
You live in spite of it.
Thanks to everyone who helped out in any way, and thanks to Team Wench for letting me a member of thier group if only for 24 hours.
Prax and I made the trip from Baltimore to Reston (in fracking Virginia) and joined the rest of Team Wench for the Relay for Life. The team ended up meeting its fundraising goals (thanks to everyone) and the event ended up making well over $300k. I was asked if I would be TW's entry for Miss. Relay. With the help of Prax and the rest of TW Ms. Lumpy won and was named Miss. Relay 2006 (I'm sure someone will post pictures).
It was really an experience and there were a few moments that were very touching.
When we were signing in for the Survivors Dinner there was a little girl next to me getting upset. "Mommy I'm 12 and when we found out I was six so that's six years right?" The math was really upsetting her so I leaned over and said to her, "It's okay sweety I'm having trouble with that too." She hit me withthe biggest smile, damn near brought a tear to my eye.
During the dinner they gave away door prizes to folks one was for the Youngest Survivor. Sure enough that little girl raised her hand and said "12"; then another little girl raised her hand and said "I'm eight". I felt my heart being ripped right out of my chest.
It can be hard to deal with severve illness as an adult, it's a bitch when kids get sick, but damn how do you even explain cancer to an eight year old.
After the dinner it was back out to the track for the Survivors Lap. All the survivors had the track to themselves (almost). I walked with the other survivor from Team Wench and it was very touching to have several hundred folks all cheering and blowing bubbles. It was then time for the caregivers to join us and we made another lap. I said "almost" when I wrote that the survivors had the track to themselves because there were two survivors who were pushed in wheel chairs and one gentleman (damn I'm clipping up just typing this).
Well you see this man was wheeled out on to the track and his family helped him to stand, he was in a harness and different members of his family were all around him. They kept him upright as he walked around the track, it took him about 10 minutes to make that one lap but he did it. By sheer determination and with the love of those who cared for him he finished his lap, to the cheers and applause of everyone, on his own feet.
This event really hit home to me, it made me think of the many family members who have passed from cancer (every male member on my fathers side that has passed since I've been alive has died from cancer) and my family and friends who are still living with it (my mother has been fighting breast cancer since I was my sons age). I cried during the Luminarium with Prax's hand in mine.
Cancer is a mutation of healthy cells.
You do not live with cancer.
You live in spite of it.
Thanks to everyone who helped out in any way, and thanks to Team Wench for letting me a member of thier group if only for 24 hours.