Friday, March 19, 2010

Relay for Life-ing...

That's what I'm going to be doing tomorrow to Sunday.

I've had cancer touch my life from a young age.

My grandfather passed away from lung cancer when I as little - From what I recall (it's not talked of that much) he contracted it after spraying pesticides on the farms he managed. He was also a smoker so now looking back with adult eyes and more knowledge on what smoking can do I suspect the latter was a major influence in his disease as well. I remember sitting at his feet when I was super tiny watching him fill his pipe of an evening and smelling the woody aroma from it... at the time it was comforting - it felt like I was with my beloved poppy... Now I wonder what I would be thinking if I saw my father do that with one of my children at his feet - I think I would pop a valve getting them away from the toxic stuff!!! Nothing against those who are smokers - each to their own - I don't condemn you for your choice and right, but I will protect my children whilst I can from smoking ;) I remember my parents getting ready and going to his funeral - I didn't go... myself and my siblings were too young... It was probably a good thing - but even today I feel I didn't properly say goodbye to pop - the last I saw of him was him in the hospital in Launceston - he was sooo skinny!!! Wearing his blue flanny tartan dressing gown and shortie jammies, grandpa slip on slippers on his feet. He came and gave me and my sisters a big hug... he smelt of his pipe which he had come out to smoke... It was the last I remember of poppy...

When I was in high school a girl a grade above me was fighting leukemia. She was often in and out of hospital, she had radiation burns on her arms from the extreme efforts the medics were going through to try and save her life. I remember her sisters struggling at times with life in general whilst their family worked towards keeping Rachael alive. She lost her fight when I was in grade 10. She had returned to my school as a teachers aid - she went home from work one day early with a headache, went to bed and didn't wake up - very unexpected as she was apparently "well". Her funeral was very hard to attend.... but was something I felt I had to do - not just to honour Rachael, but to be there for her sisters.... They were and are a lovely family!!! I always associate Sarah McLaughlin "Angels" with her now - it was played at her funeral....

And right now my dad is fighting prostrate cancer. He was meant to undergo surgery before Christmas 2009 to remove it - he's still awaiting surgery!!! I was hoping he would have had t before we move, but it's not looking hopeful :( I don't know what I'll do when he gets the call to go to hospy - I don't know if we'll be financial enough for me to fly back to Tas - I'd like to but I just don;t know.... His chances of winning his battle are apparently really good - we're trying to be positive.... But delays right now are making me edgy... I know it's going to be tough on him and mum once he;'s home from surgery - I wish there was a way I was able to be there... I guess when he gets the call We'll be able to properly assess our situation to see if it's possible. We wont know for certain what we're dealing with until he's had the surgery.. so it's a waiting game....

So there are a few people I will be walking for tomorrow - not only these but for everyone else I know who has been touched by cancer - and those I might meet or who may be inflicted in the future - I walk for those as well. I've not done anything in regards to fundraising this year - it's kinda snuck upon me with the move etc... but next year watch out!!! I've linked up with Bright Star Kids for their online fundraising. You can go to the link and put in the code "FDR374" or choose "Bricknell Relay for Life" in the fundraising code section on their order page and 25% of the sale will go towards my relay for life fundraising.


CELEBRATE cancer survivors,

REMEMBER loved ones lost

and

FIGHT BACK against this disease

that takes so much!!!!


Every five minutes, another Australian
is diagnosed with cancer.
While survival rates are improving
every day, cancer remains a
leading cause of death.

~

2 comments:

E. said...

Good Luck on the walk. Great cause!

I thought I posted this as a womment on your blog but now I cna;t fine it so I give you an award. You can find it here: http://whiningattheworld.blogspot.com/2010/03/honest-scrap-award.html

Katrina said...

Thanks e!! I've never had an award before Yaay!! :)