This is my mom and i.. at the end of one of the many walks we did... can you he how thrilled i was to be there? haha
when i was younger i was "dragged" to walks of all kinds... cancer walks, hands across america... i was the cute little chubby girl coming in last as volunteers were cleaning up.. i still am that cute chubby girl.. i just don't come in last anymore..but i wasn't ever able to understand why i was walking.. what it meant... other than my mom promised mcdonald's after we were done...
as an adult who has been affected by cancer i can understand and appreciate the kinship of the cattle heard heading to the finish line...
to read "why i walk"- a past blog entry click here:
this past weekend was the Climb to Conquer Cancer in Phoenix... my cousin Natalie was able to get a team together, for the 2nd year, in honor of my papa...
the back of the team shirts
As young children we would participate in the cancer walk not really knowing the reality of what cancer could do and those it could affect. As we matured and continued to participate in this annual walk, we began to understand just exactly what cancer was and why so many people continued to walk every year. However, never in a million years did we ever think our lives would be changed so drastically by this disease in such a short time and that we would be walking today in memory of our loved one, Uncle Robert.
As the day approached, we were ready to go, with a smile on our face and so many mixed emotions. Our team was made up of family and friends and each one of them had a special connection to our Uncle Robert. The shirts we wore had a special loving message printed on the back to let others know that we were walking in memory of our loved one.
when i see this picture of the group i don't just see people walking for my dad.. i see some cousins who lost another cousin to brain cancer last year.. i see another cousin who lost an aunt to a long battle with cancer.. i see yet another cousin whose mom is a breast and kidney cancer survivor and whose father is battling lung cancer..and of course i see my mom and my brother, making my daddy proud...
i asked Natalie to blog about the uphill 10k for me, as i obviously couldn't be there.. but i also wanted to read what she had to say as i know papa was going to be weighing heavily on her mind while she walked... Natalie took such amazing care of my dad from his first appointment with his oncologist, to dressing him before the funeral... she is also able to get me to release when she knows i need to, when no one else can... i love you Nat, thanks for writing this:
“He left us quietly, His thoughts unknown, but He left us memories that we are proud to own”
As young children we would participate in the cancer walk not really knowing the reality of what cancer could do and those it could affect. As we matured and continued to participate in this annual walk, we began to understand just exactly what cancer was and why so many people continued to walk every year. However, never in a million years did we ever think our lives would be changed so drastically by this disease in such a short time and that we would be walking today in memory of our loved one, Uncle Robert.
As the day approached, we were ready to go, with a smile on our face and so many mixed emotions. Our team was made up of family and friends and each one of them had a special connection to our Uncle Robert. The shirts we wore had a special loving message printed on the back to let others know that we were walking in memory of our loved one.
During our walk we would share stories with one another about how he had touched our lives, things he would say or do and how we missed him dearly. We all survived the 5.5 mile walk, even the kids did great! We all met at the top of the mountain and signed the large American Cancer Society banner with a special message about Uncle Robert. As we continued to hike down, we continued to share stories of our camping trips, vacations and time we spent with him and how he would take us on hikes and point out every plant, or bird or even rock! He paid so much attention to each individual, young or old and made you feel so special and loved.
What an awesome day we shared and we are truly blessed to have had Uncle Robert in our lives and his memories live on in each and every one of us.
“We walked today for those who survived, we walked today for those who are battling and we walked today in memory of those that we have loved and lost much too soon.”
“We walked today for those who survived, we walked today for those who are battling and we walked today in memory of those that we have loved and lost much too soon.”
editor comment- who is uncle robert? haha nat.. to you he will always be robbie... the only one who could get away with that.. :)
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