Kids With Cancer Walk / Relay

This Sunday the fam attended the 14th annual Kids With Cancer Walk/Relay at Hawrelak Park. We hadn't beed for some years, and it was long overdue.

Our infamous Dusty was DJing, and the weather was so inviting, seemed like the perfect conditions.

A little while back I had decided to step back from Cancer Family events because it was becoming harder to cope emotionally (for me personally). Every little bald head, or broken parent was a solemn reminder of a place I did not wish to return to, nor had the coping skills to deal with in a healthy fashion. Seemed like my tolerance had diminished (unlike the year when I ran a support group with my friend Carol).

My last trip to the Peds Oncology (with the dogs) was the breaking point for me (past post).

Oddly enough, this day I wanted to be among fellow cancer families and those beautiful little baldies. I saw kids there that I knew from past, some looked great (like normal healthy kids), others had deteriorated significantly since the last time I had seen them, and 2 in particular (miracles) are still with us. These 2 children each had good bye parties (5 years back), both has only weeks to live. Amazing.

A flood of memories filled me as we approached the grounds:

I remembered carrying Miss Kali on my shoulders for 2 of the 2.5 km. I remembered how some of the nurses made such a fuss over her, my friend Claire attending the walk with her (despite her loss - young Megan), and my other friend Robin who performed regular and numerous Reiki treatments on Kali (and myself) during those 3 rough years of treatment. Then I recalled this event being a 'feel good" one, for some reason i cant make out - it just is.

We always opted for the walking portion (2,5 km) the loop around the lake due to Kali's legs, BUT next year if the conditions are right (we are ALL fit enough) I would like to try the run (5 K). We have been jogging every night with the morons (dogs), so this may be possible.... I think this would be a great testimony to healing, for Kali and her leg issues, and myself with my life long lung issues. I think we can do it!

Regarding our affiliation with Kids With Cancer. As some of you may already know - Hair Massacure supported this organization for 4 years. I made a switch in 2006 because I was interested in funding a specific research program for childhood cancer, which at the time they did not offer. This is when Hair Massacure switched to Stollery, however this decision did not come easily, and there was certainly a level of guilt experienced when one leaves a cause to support another. In the end, children diagnosed with cancer continue to benefit from our cause, but family support no longer continued. One day, as we expand - I hope for possibility to include more.