Two years ago today, I went in for surgery to have my palate removed because of the cancerous tumor that was found there. Although I am cancer free, my walk with cancer hasn’t ended. Now I walk to find a cure for rare cancer and this girl, my best friend since Kindergarten, Paula, has been walking beside me every step of the way. Yet she hasn’t been walking with cancer for only two years.
She first met cancer when she was six years old, when her mom was first diagnosed. As she shares in these videos, cancer greatly impacted her then, and has continued to since.
(watch Paula's moving video on my instagram feed at https://www.instagram.com/p/BvCCMQYFXs-/ - I had trouble getting it to upload here)
As much as cancer has taken from her, Paula continues to rise up and stand up to cancer year after year, by doing what she can from where she is to make a difference which included the Cycle for Survival event in NYC. Paula and I rode last weekend to help raise awareness & funds for rare cancer research.
We rode for the people who are still fighting and for those who will have to fight, for the first time, or after a reoccurrence.
We rode for the spouses, the children, the family, friends; the caregivers.
We rode for the doctors, the researchers, the nurses, the volunteers & all who are hoping for a cure beside us.
We rode for her Mom, her Dad, my Mom, her cousin, her sister in law, and others in our families, & our friends, impacted by cancer.
We rode for each other.
I share this with you today, because we are not the only ones impacted by cancer. And I wanted to invite you to join me today to...
Pause. Breathe. Pray.
I know it may seem like one person can’t make a difference. But Cycle for Survival was started by one person, Jen, who had the hope our gathering people together to ride and raise money for rare cancer research. The first year Jen raised $210,000. This year Cycle for Survival raised over 41 million dollars! Unfortunately Jen is no longer with us but she used her time here to help the next person in line. She showed the power one person can have in being the change we hope to see in the world of cancer.
Paula and I promise to do what we can to help the next people in line, and we want to invite you to join us to do the same.
With love and hope,
Shawn💕🙏💕
