Oklahoma

I’ve spent the last day packing and trying to get ready for our trip to Oklahoma. For the past couple of years we have gone to Oklahoma to participate in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Why do we go all the way to Oklahoma when there are plenty of other races a lot closer? Well, a few reasons. We feel a special bond to Oklahoma. My Mom was diagnosed and completed all of her treatment there. We also have a lot of close friends and family that live there, that we like to have join us at the race. This year with kids and adults there are going to be about 20 people walking in support of my Mom. How cool is that? I know it means a lot to her. I remember the first year at the race. My Mom had finished radiation in March and had a hysterectomy in July and we came down from Missouri in October for the race. It was very overwhelming. All of the survivors wear pink shirts or pink hats, so that they stand out in the crowd, and there were so many of them. My Mom finally had hair again, although short, it was there. I remember thinking, “All of these people have gone or are going through what we just did.” It kind of bonds all of you together. At the race people put on their shirts I walk ‘In memory of’ of ‘In support of’ and that was really touching. There were a lot of people with their Mom’s, Grandma’s, Aunt, or Sister’s name on their shirts. The day ends with the ‘Survivor’s Ceremony’ where all of the Survivors are asked to come on to the ball field and they ask for the oldest survivor and the youngest survivor. The oldest one, I think was in her eighties and she had fought it 3 times, and the youngest was in her twenties. I was in shock that someone in there twenties could have breast cancer, it really hit home for me. They end the ceremony with a song and it was very touching, almost spiritual. Here, you are surrounded by all of these strangers, yet you are linked by this terrible disease. Even though the day is emotional and we have to get up early, which is getting harder and harder, with the addition of the babies, I wouldn’t miss it for the world. My Mom is so proud that we are all there together and supporting her and it makes it all worth it. I’m looking forward to the race and I’ll post pictures when we get back on Wednesday.

Remember, early detection is the best prevention.