Why I Participate in a Relay Event
As a
survivor (finally told "all clear for now" on
October 30th, 2012), I can
easily, yet still emotionally, recall exactly how I felt when I was
given the approximate duration I had left to live, the shock of it, the
fear, the disbelief. In all honesty, I felt hopelessness from what I was
told, and I felt, if they "cant do anything else at this point", then
what can I do? I remember thinking, "how can this be, in this time and
age of technology? All that has been found on cancer, all that could be
done in our time and nothing can be done at this point?", yet I was
given a terminal diagnosis anyway.
This was back in the end of 2008, after having gone through two
emergency operations, and at a time I would start having further
complications from the first, leading to yet another emergency operation
when for the second time, I would have in my medical records of being
revived during surgery. Despite of saying nothing could be done, I was
still saved numerous times trying to live up my diagnosis. I am proof we
DO NOT have expiration dates when cancer enters our lives.
Who I'm Participating For
I'm relaying
for all touched by cancer and those who know someone who has. That is
you and I, and just about everyone else in between. I relay because
before I knew of how sick I had become back in August-September of '08,
people were relaying for life, raising money to help fund research and
improve the chances of the then future cancer fighters, like me.
I relay today, am alive today, because of all those who relayed
before me, made it possible for me to be saved in moments most would not
before the advances made thru research, which is greatly funded by
events as relay for life. It is a miracle to me I survived, I am the 4%
of 2%, I usually just say 2%, but my chance to hear that "all-clear" was
much less than 2%. Complicated, yes, but if you think of it, that's 4%
of 2%, so take 100 people, then choose only 2, then say to them only
4% of you two will survive this.
That is me, 4% of 2%. I'm here because of all those who relayed for
life, my life and the lives of many now saved ...Ill never finish
thanking God for all the wonderful people who cared to relay for life
before, during and now today with me. The way I see it now, Relay For
Life is a very great support for life I never knew I had until I came to
need it.
ACS
has invested in vital research for a cure, and in that search has found
numerous ways to improve life during the battle and increase survival
rates. They have advocated the importance of risk reduction and early
detection. ACS also provides free information and services for those who
are in need throughout their battle with cancer.
The amount of research advances made due in great part from the
investments ACS has made from funds raised from donations, especially
through relay for life events, have made leaps and bounds to gain more
technology, more advanced procedures that were considered far too risky
before, or were simply just unknown before. ACS works with lawmakers to
get laws passed to fight cancer risks. Through invested research, risks
are found and can be targeted for elimination and knowledge found and
shared to all so risks can be lowered before getting cancer by lifestyle
changes involving better diet and exercise.
We have great finds today, due to the research that benefits from
relay for life events. Many advances in healthcare today exists because
people came together, had events called Relay For Life, and raised money
to fund further research, to search for the holy grail cure for the
worldwide fight against this disease called cancer. And I for one am
thankful for all ACS has done so far with all my heart.
Life sure can be a funny crazy thing, but so worth the fight
My
own battle was far from conventional, but the main events in my fight,
battled in the hospital, were followed with my eventual return home,
because of the amazing doctors and technology we now have. I am fully
thankful to ALL those who relayed before me, who relayed in the name of
those in their own battle, and of those lost in the past, and because of
such events to raise funds for cancer research, those with the same
type of cancer today are now being saved with a much higher rate of
survival.
I thank you all who have relayed with me while I battled my own fight
during a time I had already become a survivor of my own expiration date
given to me by the first doctors. During a time I was very slowly
becoming a thriver, with cancer, regaining strength in health to be able
to chance the harsher medications combined with the other mess of meds
that were keeping me "maintained" in the diagnosis' progress thought at
first to end my life, yet thankfully, the cancer shrank in the places
left after surgery removed the removable, along with lymph nodes and a
liver lobe, which thankfully can regenerate and has.
There has been casualties in my battle, and what you are reading now
is now my only voice. I am left mute from a severed nerve during a tumor
extraction from my larynx. But as many would tell me, I have been
louder now than I ever was before.
It's unbelievable, perhaps it was all a nightmare. Did I really hear him say "all clear"? Am I
still dreaming in a hospital bed? If so, please don't wake me. SERIOUSLY!
OMG, how crazy this all sounds even to me, and yet
this is just pieces of the whole story which I have a hard time
believing myself, but I did live it, and I am happy to be able to relay
for life. I still have a long way to go to regain health back to where I
left off, but I am constantly improving my condition after I came so
close many times through the battle and left with a mess of "me". But
this "me" now is stronger, resilient, experienced in all the aspects of
the darkest hours of the battle and now someone who understands the
importance of advocacy, importance of living life to the fullest and to
continue to relay for life for the rest of the time I am thankful to
have gifted each day I awake.
Now lets relay, I myself am signed up to walk and fund raise
in the
Relay For Life of Second Life event. We would love for you to
join us, so consider
joining our team and/or
make a donation in support of our efforts.
You can even
Dedicate a Luminaria to someone you know who is a survivor, or surviving their ongoing battle, or especially those you have lost to cancer. It is a great way to give tribute to their efforts through their journey.
Lets relay together....
...for life
...for more birthdays
...for the dream of a cure
...to end this disease forever!
~Jennifer C. Wolf (
BOOTEDGIRL Foxtrot) o:)
*********************
For more info on our team, visit the team blog at
Advocacy Exchange.
If you want to know more about the event and/or past RLFof SL events, visit
Relay For Life of Second Life
And also for more history info of RFLofSL events, visit
History-of-RFL-of-SL
Also never forget to be informed on everything involving your cancer diagnosis. Its best to know everything you possibly can so that you can make educated choices for your treatments and how you can tackle down your cancer no matter what your diagnosis turns out to be. Never forget, we never wear an expiration tag!
Visit "
Is My Cancer Different?" for a great start to learning how to find out more information on cancer of a loved one or of yourself.
And remember...
YOU ARE NOT ALONE. *
hugs* o:)
Come relay with us!
*big hugs to all* bye for now and be well
~Jennifer C. Wolf (
BOOTEDGIRL Foxtrot) o:)
