![Remembering my Dad](../images/friendraiser_uploads/29447.1949918179.custom.jpeg)
Greetings friends & family.
As most who landed her probably know, I have been joining my Mother’s Relay for Life Team since its OG format in 2004 - 20 years strong!!! Over time, my Mother and her friend and colleagues at the School Board - along with all the donors to whom we are so grateful- have won countless personal and Team awards and recognitions for their efforts and contributions, financial and participatory. I have been so proud to be affiliated with them. This tradition began after my Mother’s first battle with breast cancer, and since that time, she has battled again. As most also know, my Father also battled lung cancer twice in recent years - once successfully enough to be considered cured; but the second time, soon after, brought speed and aggression that were too much to conquer, and saw him pass in April 2024.
Without getting into their specific journeys, I want to share that the many cancer journeys they have gone through have allowed us to see developments in real-time, ranging from faster treatments regimens to better side effect management to enhanced palliative support. I am beyond grateful for and truly amazed by the cancer care system, both curative and palliative. But, I struggle every day with the memory of my father learning how little time he had left, and his words of wanting to live longer echo in my head. He said one day he didn’t think he’d even make it until Christmas. I’d hoped to do an early one, but even that was taken from us by the unbelievable speed and aggression of this second war with cancer. We can’t fix everything, and progress may be slow. But I like to think that my Mom’s Team’s success over the year has contributed to some of these developments, and each one tell us that there is continued hope - reasons to forget ahead in the belief that someday, more cancers can be treated faster - and eventually, maybe cured.
Please help me in celebrating my Father’s memory with a donation to our Relay Team this year. The Relay also puts out luminaries in honour of or in memory of survivors and those lost to cancer. The Relay would charge $5 per, to boost fundraising. I am offering 1 luminary for any donation made and ask that you make a separate donation for anyone wanting additional luminaries ($5 for each you would like, and noting names and whether in memory or honour!) I will send you photos of yours and the group of them lit together, post-Relay. I will also mention any support at his private family burial.
I know many of you have given your condolences, and some may not know my own Father, but this is one of the biggest ways I feel we can honour him and the others in our lives who have had to bear the words “you have cancer” - to have people donate so that the next person who wants to live to Christmas as much as my Dad did, might get to do just that. We aren’t asking for forever, just more, longer, baby steps. Please help us out Truly, ANY little bit helps! Thanks friends and family, and may you have a year free from the c-word or receiving exceptional care if it is in your life.
Sarah