In high school, I joined my group of friends in getting involved with Relay For Life-a 24 hour walk set up by the American Cancer Society to raise awareness and funds for cancer research. Through the team set up at our school, we did fundraisers, made decorations for our camp site, and tried to encourage our friends to join. It was always a party-we would go at noon on a Saturday in May and stay until noon on Sunday, and someone from our team was supposed to be walking the track at all times, yes, even at 3am. So we would bring tents and sleeping bags and camp chairs and have a (supervised) sleepover. (Our senior year, we went to prom Friday night, got little to no sleep, and were at the school mid morning to set up for relay-it was a LONG weekend.) There was always a lot of eating and talking and laughing and of course, walking. We had some of our most intense, deep conversations walking the track-and I treasure them.
Luckily, my family has not been hit too hard with cancer. Both of my grandfathers have had prostate cancer, but Grandpa Price still lived a long and relatively healthy life and Grandpa Morgan is still kickin at 97. However, earlier this year my #superbestie R found out that this random lump in her neck was a malignant thyroid tumor. It was caught early, thank goodness, and her surgery to remove the tumor was a success. Even though it was pretty late notice compared to the other teams, she decided to create a team for this year's relay and named it Robyn and Friends. Soooo we got prepared for another exciting weekend.
First off, I did not have work on Friday so my weekend started early-HEYYYY. Went downtown and had Shake Shack with G then went shopping in Georgetown.
Opening ceremonies began and we were off! Every year, one team has a table where you can buy a string to put around your neck and every time you walk a lap you add a bead. This year G and I were really into it, haha I wish I had gotten a picture-we walked probably about 2 miles before we got the string and by the time we left, we had 24 beads/laps, or 6 miles. So we probably walked about 8 or 9 miles altogether. We were also a few campsites over from the Fighting Fitzies so you KNOW I had to take a picture-I also had a "Scandal" related conversation with some of the team members LOL.
After the survivor lap, I had to run back up to Arlington to take care of the dog of the family I work for because they were out of town. When we got back, the luminaria ceremony was just beginning. For the luminarias, you make a donation and then write the name of someone who has cancer or has passed on due to cancer on the outside of the bag. The committee lines the outside of the track with the bags and after it gets dark, the candles inside are lit and there is a solemn ceremony to honor them. It is always emotional, but this year extra so, since we were there for R. I purchased luminarias for both of my grandfathers as well as my #superbestie. The committee also uses the luminaria to spell "HOPE" on the opposite set of bleachers.
The rest of the night I was thinking about how powerful of a word "hope" is. When everything seems to be going wrong, it's common that the only thing left that you can do is hope. Hope that one day things will be better. I hope that one day, we will be able to find a way to cure cancer. It may be years and years away from happening, but I know that as long as Relays for Life continue to occur around the country, it is always in our grasp.
To my wonderful, beautiful, amazing #superbestie R, I love you. I am soooo proud of you for how strong you have been. Keep fighting girl-you can do it. <3
No comments:
Post a Comment