This will be a short entry this evening... but I don't want to go to bed without posting this...
For the last 4 years I have participated with folks from Kyrene de la Colina in Relay for Life. Relay is a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. Teams raise funds and commit to having at least one member of the team walking during the entire Relay- which usually starts around 1 p.m. on a Saturday and lasts until about 8 a.m. on Sunday morning. Our team was formed following the death of a colleage and friend- Joyce Anderson. Joyce was diagnosed with lung cancer in August and passed away at the end of November. Our staff joined together to raise funds and to walk in Joyce's memory. That first relay was four years ago now...
I have to admit that Relay became for me, after that first time, more of a social gathering. It was an opportunity for me to get together with familiar faces who I didn't see that often and reconnect. I enjoyed the social aspect of it and at the same time felt like I was at least raising a little bit of money for a good cause.
This year's Relay is Saturday, April 18th. As always, I committed to walking with my Colina friends (even though that is Joe's birthday and I feel badly for leaving him alone that night!) months ago... and then put it out of my mind. It was something on my to do list- something I could deal with later.
And then, this Saturday, at sunrise, my friend Dan Neville passed away. Dan had been fighting cancer for over 5 years. I knew that his condition was deteriorating, reports were coming daily that he was not doing well... but still, when the call came Saturday that he was gone, I was not prepared. Not prepared to lose such a wonderful, honest, thoughtful, ethical, caring man. Not prepared to face the District Office without his smile, his voice, or his shock of white hair.
And suddenly, Relay became personal again. My focus changed from an opportunity to spend time with friends (which will still happen..) to a focus on beating this disease.
Please, will you support me in my efforts? I know that many of you may not be able to support our team financially, but I would sure love to have lots of thoughts and prayers with me this Saturday and Sunday as I walk in Dan's memory. I have hope that we will find a cure... and I do believe that each one of us can make a difference....
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY09National?px=4407356&pg=personal&fr_id=14853Love to you all... Carrie
