Light The Night Walk 2011

 

Each year, in communities all across the United States and Canada teams of families, friends, co-workers and local and national corporations come together to raise funds for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS's) Light The Night Walk events and bring help and hope to people battling blood cancers.

Our family participated in the Light the Night 2011 i n September with friends and family.

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(youngest doesn’t always like his picture taken…lol)

This particular walk is close to my heart because 8 years ago I was diagnosed with Lymphoma Cancer, Hodgekins Disease.  It was right after I had my youngest son and quite the shock as well!  He was 4 months old and due to my illness and treatments, I was unable to care for him fully for almost the first year of my life.  We were so blessed with a fabulous church family and friends who cared for our whole family during that time.  I’m talking house cleaning, meals, child care, gifts, encouragement, prayer and the list goes on and on!  It was quite humbling to need others in this way and to accept the help, but I am so grateful. 

My angel was my mom.  She lives out of town and came for every treatment to stay for a week and care for me and my baby.  I do not know what I would have done without her!  Especially for caring for my son and nurturing him in his first year.  My sister-in-law and mother-in-law were also HUGE in my care.  Seriously…such a reminder why we need others.  We felt so loved and cared for during that hard and scary time.

And now….I have been cancer-free for 7 years!  Many times I feel like it was ages ago…other times it feels like just the other day.  Certain smells, for example, can take me right back to that time.  It has taken me this long to be able to participate in something like this because of the memories.  I only got a little teary when people spoke of loved ones gone.  It humbles me to know that I was given the gift of life while others had a different plan for their life.  Who am I?  Why me?  Such questions may never be answered but it reminds me to be faithful to the God who gave me life and to trust Him.

This is me with my hubby, Clark.  He is my ROCK!  He was Mr. Mom while I was ill and did it fabulously.  He never complained.  It was a very tough time for him too, but he tried to stay strong for me. 

So, we celebrated with a 3 mile walk and lighted balloons!  Red for supporters and white for survivors.  What an awesome sight to see so many there to take part in something greater than ourselves.

What about you?  Have you experienced a ‘bump in the road’ like me? 

Hope each of you have a blessed day!

Claire