May 19, 2012
Today, I had the opportunity to see first hand how people from all walks of life can come together....4 A Cure...
My first experience with cancer occurred when I was in 1st grade (if my old and feeble memory serves me correctly). When I was in 1st grade, there was a boy in my class named Timmy. Timmy missed a lot of school. Soon, we all noticed that Timmy was gone A LOT, and when he DID come to school, he always looked like he had been really sick. He was always very pale and seemed like he was really tired. But, what I always remember about Timmy is that he always, ALWAYS smiled and acted happy to be at school. He was always happy with whoever he had to sit with at lunch and he loved to go to Music class.
Even in 1st grade, rumors start. The rumor about Timmy that circulated was that he had the be-all-end-all..cooties, and nobody should be close to him. Thank goodness we had World Book Encyclopedias at home, because I went home and looked up “cooties”, and found absolutely nothing. So I had to go to the next level of my research, and ask my mom.
My mom explained to me that Timmy didn’t have “cooties”, he had a form of cancer that kids get and that it made him very sick. She also assured me that I couldn’t get cancer from being around Timmy, and as I suspected, “cooties” weren’t real.
After that, I always made sure that I spent time with Timmy when he was at school, and I still remember his sweet smile. Timmy was the first person that I know that died of cancer and I don’t think that he could have been anymore than 8 years old.
This brings me back to my bittersweet experience today. Today, I worked with a cause that wants to find A Cure..a.k.a..Relay for Life. Our relay team hosted an extraordinary event with the Cruzin’ 4 A Cure Poker Run!
I was stationed at Bennett Spring State Park and I think I had the best setting! Before the bikes even came, I had three cancer survivors come by and wish us luck. They were all retired people who volunteered at the Park. I also had the honor to meet a gentleman who volunteered at the Park, who had also been on the Honor Flight! He had participated in a Poker Run for Relay in another part of the state! So, not only was he a Veteran, he again honored the United States by working…4 A Cure.
It was great to see old friends and meet new ones! I appreciate the fact that so many of our participants were Veterans from other towns who wanted to come to Dallas County, MO to help us raise funds…4 A CURE!
Today, while I served as a member of the Cutting 4 A Cure team, I really helped in honor of Timmy. And I felt his spirit with me and tonight I remember his sweet smile.
Get involved and help FIND A CURE.
Relay for Life
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