Friday, June 26, 2009

The Relay for Life





Mike rested a lot today. This afternoon he told me he thought we should go to the Relay for Life... I told him I didn't think we should be around that many people. We went. Mike may have been the only one whose shirt said "6 week survivor," but he wore it and walked with the other amazing survivors of cancer. Mike will be walking next year as well. Maybe some of you would like to join us.

10 comments:

  1. What great pictures from Relay for Life!! You guys are so cute together! I have never participated in Relay for Life, but have wanted to. They held a Relay for Life here last weekend. I thought about stopping by, but unfortunately I was so tired after Stake Women's Conference I had to come home and sleep! I will have to check it out next time they have it here. Enjoy the holidays with your family! Everett and I will be by ourselves as Maggie will be in Utah visiting Katie and Jake, Melissa is in Oregon in grad school and Brad is working in California. It will be like a second honeymoon at home! Keep smiling! Love, Patty and Everett

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  2. What a great thing to do......if I had known about it, I would have joined you. Count me in next year with you!!

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  3. I had been aware that this event was coming this weekend, but we just decided in the morning after reading the newspaper that we needed to be there. We had not previously participated. The organizer of this entire event, wouldn't you know it, is a friend of mine from our Rotary club.

    It was a warm evening, but we found a couple chairs in the shade of a tent and a cool breeze made it tolerable while we heard messages from family members and a proclamation from the mayor.

    They then asked the survivors to line up on the track and take a lap around, as families, caregivers, and hundreds of others cheered and took pictures as we walked around. Because we were there alone, I didn't really know any of the others, but we met one of my radiation therapists who stayed with Nancy the entire time. I decided to thank as many of the supporters as I could and gave "high-fives" , clapped, and shouted out their company or team name as I went by.

    There we small children with 1 year survivor tags on their backs and every age was represented. One lady was a 48 year survivor. I admit that I saw no one with less than 6 weeks as a survior time, so I must have been the rookie. There we many wiping tears back as we passed and many surviors also emotional with gratitude for the support including a big lump in my throat.

    After the lap, they gave each of us a puuple balloon and put us in the middle of the track for photographs. The first photo above is Nancy's shot of that launch.

    There has been so much progress in treating this disease and so many effected by it. This fund raiser is one of hundreds held around the United States. You can participate in your own community or support the American Cancer Society in any other way. I suppose this will be one more cause in which we will become involved.

    We were hot and a bit tired upon returning home and had some organic ice cream and dark chocolate bars. After reading for a while to get sleepy, we retired to continue our evening devotional in the scriptures.

    The amount of sleep I got so far in the night is a bit shorter than I expected with this evening event, so I'll try to sleep more before the sun rises.

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  4. I love these pictures! The Relay For Life is so awesome. You better believe that I will walk with you and Nancy next year, and the year after,and,on,and on, until you are the one wearing the 48 year survivor sign on your back!
    Kyle
    PS sorry I spelled possess incorrectly on my last post :(

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  5. Such great pictures! As usual, thanks for sharing. The Relay for Life is an awesome event. This is one of the first years in a long time I have missed it. Just don't breathe well outside in this weather, I'm afraid. It is important to share in the experience though...as a survivor and as a caregiver. Although I know the two of you celebrate each day of life together, it is great to also let others celebrate it with you. Congratulations on 6 weeks Mike. I too want to see 48 year survivor on your shirt! Have a great weekend & be sure to take it easy in this heat.
    Love,
    Cindy, Jeff & Chelsea

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  6. I'd LOVE to walk with you next year!!!

    Nan

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  7. Nancy & Mike,
    I took part in my first relay ten years ago, two years after we lost Mom. It is incredible to see how big this event has become through the years. I remember telling my team from Kohl's as it poured down rain & they wanted to go home "A patient with Cancer doesn't get to pick which days they make it to therapy, they make it rain or shine. We were doing it for all of those we loved who had experienced this dreadful disease". This year was the second year for the event in Noblesville so we put together a team from Kohl's and started the same tradition in another community. Glad you were able to walk and I expect to be celebrating life with the two of you for at least another forty-eight years if not more. I'll always walk for all of those I know who have cancer no matter what community I am taking part in a Relay! Thanks for sharing the wonderful pictures.

    love,
    Barb

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  8. Definitely count us in for next year. Won't it feel great to not be the rookie next time around?!

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  9. I did Relay for Life a couple of times in college and I would absolutely love to do it next year. It really is amazing to see a "face" put on cancer...it's everyone. We are all affected by it.

    Kristy

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