Not many people can say they've never been touched by cancer. Almost everyone has had a friend or relative that has fought a battle with cancer. For those of you that have not, thank your lucky stars. For those of you that have, you have my sympathies.
Hubby and I have both lost people we love to cancer. My husband has lost his Aunt; I've lost a grandpa. We do the Relay for them.
His aunt was our team captain for many years. Hubby and I have been together for almost seven years and we've participated in five (as of this year) Relay's together. Below is a letter that my husband has written in order to help get the word out about our team for the Relay.
On Sunday March 29th, 2009 at around 3:00PM I received a call from my dad telling me that my Aunt Felice was on her way to the emergency room.
On that day I lost my first family member to cancer. But on that day I also made a promise to myself to help fight against it. Just like she did.
My aunt Felice was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer 5 years earlier. She made the decision to attack it head on. She had a double mastectomy performed. After that it was chemotherapy treatments and visits to the hospital for her checkups. It would become a routine that she turned into her own crusade. She was a woman short of stature but a giant in heart and willpower.
That first year she asked her brother, my dad, to join her in The American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. He was in and ready to go until he had to have a minor surgery and needed someone to fill in for him. That’s when I took his place. When I got there I wasn’t sure what to expect. A lot of white t-shirts with purple writing on them for the event and there were purple shirts worn by some but not as many. That’s when I turned and saw my aunt in a purple shirt. They were the survivors. Those that were fighting cancer or those that were lucky enough to have beaten it into remission or became cancer free. In that group of people were moms, dads, grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, uncles, and children. They have what’s called a Survivors Lap they do around the track. In the front of that group was a toddler.
That was when I signed up for the following year. And the year after that….
Roughly 2 ½ months after that day in March of 2009 we were at the Relay for Life without my aunt Felice. There were memories, pictures, and friends. But no Felice.
But we were there for her. During the Luminaria Ceremony her name was read in her memory. Her name was placed between 2 aptly named luminaria, Cure and Hope. That was the picture I took. It was the one that summed her up. Cure and Hope. At that relay I was able to sign up for a 20 year study to help in the research for a cure for cancer.
What I ask from all my Facebook friends is to go to the link on the left of my profile and donate to the Relay for Life. The link takes you directly to the American Cancer Society’s site for the Relay. You can make the donation in memory of someone you may have lost or someone you have fighting cancer right now. And if you want to reach out to others they can also go to my profile to donate.
If all of us can give $10 to this cause we will be helping in a small way to try to help end the sadness and pain cancer can leave.
On June 11th, 2010 I will be at the Relay for Life. And once again I will be cheering and clapping for those people in the purple shirts. And then I will be standing silently as the names are read for those the luminarias are lit in memory of. Remembering them and their fight.
Remembering my aunt Felice.
I'm coming to you guys because you're one of the best support communities that I've had the pleasure being a part of. Our team needs your help. On my facebook page I have a badge that you can click and it will help you donate money to the American Cancer Society. Just click on "Support Me".
When you click on it to make a donation the link takes you directly to the website for the ACS. Just letting you all know that this isn't going to me and hubby, it's acutally going straight to the ACS.
If you're not one of my facebook friends, just do a search for "dirttrackdiva", I'm the only one. After that, friend me and make sure you also send me a private message about why you're friending me so I know who you are.
You can then, should you so choose, send a donation to the ACS in my name; which my real name is Erika Garcia. :) Don't know if you all knew that or not, but I guess it would be kinda confusing to send a donation in the name of dirttrackdiva. No one would know who it was for. Also, if you know someone that would like to donate and they have facebook, then can friend me as well, along with a private message on why they're friending me and they can also donate if they would like. If you don't have facebook and would still like to help somehow, let me know and I'm sure we would be able to work something out. You can send me a private email at: wrinkledog2004@yahoo.com
You are in no way required or obligated to make a donation, so please don't think I'm saying you have to. I just know that so many people are touched by cancer and there is so little we can do about when it happens or how it affects our lives while we're dealing with this terrible disease. This is a way we can help.
Happy posting everyone.
1 comments:
I don't get on facebook much, but do have an account. I just sent you a friend request so I can have access to your page to make a donation. Good luck!
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