Why I Relay

So, the last few weeks have been jam packed with Relay for Life. I'm by no means complaining. In fact, it gives me so much to look forward to after the long, hard days at school and work. I love getting around my committee members who are so full of life and passion about finding a cure for cancer! Just recently I was asked by the event Co-Chair to share why I Relay to put in the monthly newsletter. This really got me to thinking and reminiscing about why I'm so passionate about this event and finding a cure. So here's why I Relay...

This year is a very special year of Relay for Life for me. This year marks the tenth year I've been without one of the most amazing men in my life, my grandfather, whom I called my Papa. I was Papa's first granddaughter and was his only little girl until my sister came a year later. Being the first granddaughter, I always had a special relationship with him and knew I was the apple of his eye. His nickname for me was Gabby because I was a "Jabber Box" and never stopped talking. Because of my parents work, I basically lived with my grandparents every summer until I was five and continued staying with them for weeks during the summer when I entered school. I have such sweet and fond memories of the summers I helped Papa at the car lot he owned and swinging on the porch with him watching the sunset. As a little girl, I always dreamed of having my Dad and Papa both walk me down the aisle when I got married. Sadly, he'd never get the chance to do that.

 When I was seven or eight, my grandfather was diagnosed with colon cancer. After rounds of chemo and a few operations, he had won his battle with cancer. However, within a few months, he was battling for his life again with a recurrence of his colon cancer. The cancer eventually spread to his liver and throughout his body. By the time I was told of the cancer, he only had a few months to live. My memories of the last few months of his life are bitter sweet, yet very painful. I basically watched the cancer slowly kill him, which is something a nine year old should never have to see. And what's even worse is that I never got to say goodbye. The last time I saw him he was sound asleep and I was told not to wake him. I never got my last kiss, my last hug, my last I Love You, or my last sweet goodbye. My last goodbye came as my Dad was pulling me away from his casket.

My first Relay came exactly a month after the passing of my Papa, on my tenth birthday. I knew that it was going to be a rough night for my entire family, especially during the luminaria ceremony, but I couldn't be more excited about the event. My sister and I were the only children on the team, but our team members, who were my elementary school teachers, understood and knew that this would be a life changing event for us and welcomed us with open arms. I've never cried so much in my life as I did at my first luminaria ceremony. All the pain and hurt that I'd bottled up over the last year had finally escaped and I was ready to start healing. That night I promised God and myself that I wouldn't sit back and watch cancer take innocent lives. I was going to do something about it.

And here I am today, 10 years later, still Celebrating, Remembering, and Fighting Back. This year will be my 8th Relay, my 5th year as a Team Captain, and my 1st year as a Committee Member. I Relay because I never I don't want any granddaughter or daughter to ever know what it's like to not have that special man in their life walk them down the aisle. Even though Papa won't be there physically, I know he'll be right beside me in spirit and I can't wait to feel his prescence on September 10, 2011!

I know I've basically poured my heart out here, but I hope you now fully understand why I Relay and why I'm so passionate about finding a cure. Almost everyone I know has been affected by cancer in some way. If you aren't involved with Relay, I advise you to get a team started and do something about this awful disease! Don't stand back and watch it take innocent lives, you can make a difference! I truly believe that a cure will be found in my lifetime and I will be a part of finding a cure!

Blessings, Kelsey