Tucker and I walked in the annual Relay for Life near my mom's yesterday. It's usually held in October but they have moved it to June. Here is our "team" (my mom and Tucker are in front and I'm all the way to right in the back row)
My dad started walking with my mom's friend Laura (a 14 year breast Cancer survivor) after his first surgery in 2001. He walked in 2002 and 2003 and then was in the hospital in 2004, passing away 2 weeks after. Tucker has walked with Laura in some way since my dad's passing (I pushed him in the stroller in 2004) so he was ready to do the survivor lap this year in memory of my dad. He wanted me to walk with him so I did!
The last picture is me and Jamie, the nurse of the rehab unit where I work. She was diagnosed last July with breast cancer and came back to work in mid-January. She's going out in a few weeks for some more surgery. She's an amazing nurse and and even more amazing person!
We gathered for a group picture with Laura, Janice , and Sue
They line the track with luminaries for a night ceremony. You can purchase the bags and a survivor's name, a person who has died, etc. They started out in alphabetical order so we found my grandmother and uncle's in the afternoon. When we came back (with Tucker sporting less hair), my dad's was there so they posed with one too.
Last year was the first year Tucker and I had ever gone to see the Luminaria and wanted to go back this year. This year we stayed for the entire ceremony. It conisted of the names being shown on a screen and people telling stories about how cancer has affected their lives. Then there was three laps done in complete silence to the playing of bagpipes and a moment of silence. It was quite moving.
On a lighter note, Tucker entered the basket raffles and won this beach-themed basket. Here he is checking it out at my mom's this morning.
