Cancer Sucks!!

By now just about everyone in your life has come across this awful, horrible, nasty, heartbreaking disease. Whether it’s being a survivor yourself, or watching a loved one go through the ups and downs, the twists and turns and the reality of loosing that loved one.

We all have our stories, we all have our feelings, we all have our moments. The one thing we do all share are the tears we shed when that someone is gone.

I went through my own reality of it all when I was 22. My father was 49 and it was lung cancer that matasticized into his bones. My grandmother went through it with her battle with breast cancer, gosh I don’t even know how old I was that’s how long ago it was and she has been cancer free for over 25 years now. My mother-in-law is batteling it still. Though she’s had two lumpectomy’s, radiation and all the hormones to free herself of this horrific disease, she will still have to wait 5 years to hear the words “cancer free”. A friend of mine’s father just had surgery after being diagnosed with Prostate cancer. And a very dear friend of my families is currently going through a clinical trial in hopes that anything will give him just a little more quality time with his family. His oldest daughter is the age I was when I lost my father. I can relate, my heart breaks for them.

So this past weekend I had the privledge of taking part in such an amazing event New Hampshire. It’s called the Relay for Life.  My Mother-in-law joined a team that was run by her actual surgeon.

Relay For Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease.

At Relay, teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are overnight events up to 24 hours in length. Relayers do not have to walk all night, but each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event.

Unfortunatly this original event was scheduled already, however the horrible storms scheduled to come through made it impossible to actually hold the event. It was rescheduled for a few weeks later but instead of it being for 24 hours it was held for 6 hours. They had to whip this event into shape and let me tell you, they did a fantastic job.

They start with an opening ceremony. My Mother-In-Law’s Doctor spoke, and also a patient spoke. She spoke of her young niece who didn’t get to grow up, and her young nephew who is currently going through his own battle, she spoke from her heart saying that the day she found out she had cancer was the day she was being their for her nephew by shaving her head.

I watched from the side lines. I watched my grandmother, my MIL and her close friend as they held hands listening to her speak. I stood beside my mother with tears in my eyes knowing the pain that we’ve both felt.

The survivors then walked their very first lap around the make shift track with their purple T-shirts. I couldn’t control my tears at that point as I proudly watched every one of these people. Old people, children, a blind woman and her service dog.

My husbands grandfather was their, his aunts, friends and my mother and grandmother. Just another moment in my life where I have to be so thankful and fortunate I truly am. The next lap was for what they call “The Caregivers” The people who love and support you through this horrible time. My husband proudly walked next to his mother that day.

Maddie walked more laps than I did!! (yes and pup pup too)

They served pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers and of course cupcakes!! Maddie’s favorite!!

It was really an awesome event. A beautiful day and I couldn’t have been more happy to be their for my MIL that day. This is how Miss Madison ended her day on the way home from the event.