I am a survivor of cancer (10 years and counting) and like you, I am not dead. In fact, I’ve got plenty of fight left in me.
Last weekend I participated in a Relay for Life Fundraiser at the local high school. It didn’t go as planned. Teenagers sporting hunters-orange sheriff’s vests stood near strategically placed cones; their mission: Allow only “Regional Baseball” participants and their fans entrance to the empty school parking lot and no one else.
We had a van loaded with fundraiser baskets and the nearest parking lot was unaccessible. We explained our situation, emphasizing “drop off only.” “Sorry,” we were told, “you need to use the other parking lot near the high school pool.” This didn’t make sense. Why would we unload from a distance farther away? We parked our van across the street in a friend’s driveway and made our way toward the Relay for Life area. The Baseball Gestapo informed my wife and me that we could not walk across their reserved parking lot. Again, this made absolutely no sense. Were they concerned that we’d get hit by a foul ball? That we would die that instant? I doubt it. I kept my cool even though I had visions of driving my van over their cones and yelling out the window, “I guess baseball’s more important than finding a cure for cancer!”
On a positive note, our booth raised the most money. In the above picture are some of the survivors, including a dear friend diagnosed with breast cancer eight months ago.
12 comments:
Congrats of raising so much money. You had a lot of patience with the people who were being so difficult and really kept your cool. I'm not sure what I would have done in that situation.
Well done, dude, despite the obstacle course. To your good health, and to the whole crew.
Yesterday, saw someone (accidetnally?) run over a bunch of cones -- might have been channeling your thoughts there. . .
Keep fighting - on all fronts.
Couldn't "walk" across the parking lot? Dude, that is completely idiotic. I'm glad you didn't kill anyone.
Well done in you winning the battle and raising so much money. Im glad that there are still people that worry about others...
automatons or power drunk fools in hunters-orange sheriff’s vests.
"fuck 'em"
ha, ha Walking Man..but shouldn't that be "fuck it"
out of towners get the "fuck 'em"
Sheesh, I have used that word more in the last week than the last ten years. Sorry JR Thumb.
Hey, good for you, Jim. Too bad about the pettiness at the parking lot, but it didn't spoil your day or your cause.
JR-what WM said!
Lou...at times the "em" is appropriate for the local circumstance regarding people who do not act like Detroiters should act.
Thank you for all you are doing for the cause! It sounds like a great day in spite of the idiots:)
My husband is also a survivor for over ten years. He was final stage when diagnosed and ended up getting a stem cell transplant. We went to Ann Arbor for a lot of treatments and to Toledo for a lot of others. It was rough (what an understatement) and took time. But now you'd never know he had been sick a day in his life. Seriously, I can't keep up with him.
I am SO thankful to God and modern medicine. I contribute whenever I can and urge everyone else to do so. Thanks, JR!
I have two good friends who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Survivors like yourself give hope. Congratulations and more power!
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