Friday, August 19, 2005

The Cancer Walk



We survived the walk! What a wonderful two days it was, spent with wonderful people, for a wonderful cause. The Mississippi Shuffle broke some records this year by raising a little over $138,000. The bags with names and candles are called luminarias, in honor of, or memory of someone. This year there were 7100 bags lighting the walk and park. It was amazing. Words cannot express how it feels to be a survivor and participate in this walk.

Prior to cancer-fun days, we did the walk and knew it was for a good cause. We hung out with friends, ate junk food, talked, blah blah blah. The walk has a whole new meaning for me now. While we still hung out with friends, ate junk food and talked, this time I walked and thought about those of us fighting, I walked and thought about those of us who have been taken, I walked and thought about how lucky I am to be here, I walked and thought about my kids. At their age there's no way to explain cancer to them. I wonder if someday they will do the walk and read the names on the bags, hopefully my name will still be in red and not black, and hopefully we will be walking together.

Thanks over and over to all of you who helped us out this year....here's what your donation helped to do.....

Dion catching flies....hee hee hee....

"In Memory Of" board....those we have lost

Of one my bags

One of two sets of risers filled with luminarias

Our team

More luminarias

Sisters In Survivorship...my online support group, my strength.

The sunset that night.

People in the park

Our view of the Mississippi River