Why I Relay For Life

(I recorded this with Audacity, using a web based text to speech site and had the honor of reciting it at the Relay For Life of Second Life 2011 Kick-Off Ceremony on July 16th)


My name is Jennifer Wolf. In Second life I'm known as Bootedgirl Foxtrot. I am thankful for many things, including the technology that allows me here, to voice why I relay.

I relay for life for those who I have loved, known, and will always remember. I relay for a cure, a hope, a wish, to come true. I relay for those who have heard the answers to, "How long do I have?".  I relay for those who's family could not deal with knowing, their daughter has cancer.

In September of 2008, I was told I would be lucky to see Christmas, which is also my birthday as well. I went through series of tests, scans, emergency surgeries, nerve damage to vocals during a tumor extraction,  being revived twice during surgery on separate occasions, then poisoned with chemo treatments.

I proved prognosis time frames are not set in stone, I survived an extended hypoglycemic blackout adding more damage to more nerves, and I had to sign waivers to allow myself more quality of what life I could hold onto.

Through the devotion of my best friend and her family, I had the care and emotional resources needed to overcome my fears and hold onto goals, and have help to prepare for "what ifs", which understandably, was something my immediate family could not do for my peace of mind.

After risky procedures and time to heal, I have made it to the point I'm slowly recovering, awaiting for possibly more procedures and possible radiation treatments pending any more findings through scans.

Now, I no longer recognize the girl I see in the mirror, but now see a survivor, who still loves the same, dreams the same, and at times laughs the same at my own dark humor. I created my Second life account the week I stopped working. I relayed for the first time in Second life in 2009, I found loving friends, and my virtual happiness in 2010.

I relayed in 2010 while I was very sick, and that meant alot to me at a time I could not walk well at all in real life. Now in 2011, I relay again, for more life to have with loved ones, on all formats of reality. I relay to celebrate survival, for my own, and for others who made it through, when doctors were sure we would not.

I relay for each day I  awake, for each moment I see my Second life partner, my Love Jay, who saw me through many late hours of pain, and now enjoy many late hours of laughter. I relay for others to have what I now have, a chance to live and give back hope, and help however I can.

In 2011, I relay, for those who stood by me, loved me and cared for me, never waiting for the worst, but looking at all the best there was to live in, and for, and giving nothing but hope.

I relay for those, who seen the darkest hour, and lived to see the light of hope, to have this chance to type this now, wishing not to one day regain my ability of speech, but for more miracles to touch others living in their hardest hours. I relay for you, and I, for all who cared for us, and all who gave hope, love, and their time.

I relay for, each day we all can awake, with the gift of time we are given, to see the world, and love and be loved, and continue to pass on the very hope that will live on forever. I relay for the dream, for more time, for all those touched with cancer, to have quality time, in life, without pain.