Last year around this time... My family received a huge dose of motivation to raise money for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. My wonderful sweet step mom, Sally was diagnosed with Stage 4 Small Cell Carcinoma. We were devastated. We will miss her very much, but we cannot even come close the the pain of my sister, my niece, or my father.
This year my motivation is different, I no longer need to hear about someone I love being sick, I need to work hard at raising money so that NO ONE ever has to hear that news.
Please share this blog/link with your friends so they can donate..
http://main.acsevents.org/goto/tracehillman
What is Relay For Life?
Relay for life is an annual fundraising walk. It was started by Dr. Gordy Klatt as a personal way to raise money for his local American Cancer Society. He spent 24 hours circling the track at the University of Puget Sound. He friends and supporters spent $25 to run/walk with him for 30 minutes. In the end he raised $27,000 in 24 hours (check out more of the history at this link: Relay For Life History).
Why am I doing this?
We have been involved for over 8 years because my oldest son, who was 6 years old at the time, was upset that our family pet had cancer and wanted to know what he could do. With the help of my wife, Brandy, he was able to find a Relay For Life team that would allow him to join and he set out to raise money. This continued until three years ago when Brandy decided that instead of trying to find a team, we should start one.
Each year we have new reasons to be motivated, but 2011 was a tough one. We do not visit my family in Alabama very often, but because of the amazing company I work for and the careful planning of my wife and I, we were able to visit my family twice in the summer of 2010. It was great. We spent all of our time out in the country with Grandma Sally, Grandpa Wendell, Aunt Amanda and sweet cousin Miranda. Even Nanny Alice (my mom) came out to visit and hang out. The boys were in heaven. Not only was the food amazing thanks to the doting of Grandma Sally, but they could chase chickens (and the occasionally skunk by mistake), catch fireflies, play with puppies and just relax.
So to come back to Colorado full of great memories and southern hospitality, and only a few months later to find out that Grandma was so very sick, was terrible.
If you need a reason to donate or raise money, then think about the faces of the children. The children who do not understand the world enough to know what is happening to the people they love. Think about the parents that learn that their child is sick and may not make it.
CANCER SUCKS! It sucks, but their are treatment options and education about prevention and their are support groups, programs to support the patient and their family, and these are all things that the American Cancer Society does.
What can you do?
You can donate. You would be amazed what a $5 bill can do, Click here to find out...
You can walk.. and raise money in your area: www.relayforlife.org
You can share this blog/link with your friends so they can donate...
http://main.acsevents.org/goto/tracehillman
Please help me stop this killer and help me make it so that I never have to tell my children or their children that someone they love is going to die.
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