Race for the Cure

The Race for the Cure is just a couple of days away. According to the race website, they had 45,000 participants last year and this year are hoping for 60,000. I will be there with my family members, my friends, and my co-workers. I will be walking and hoping that I am able to finish the 5K route.

Today I stopped at Children's ED to visit. It is always so bittersweet to go there now. I am always met by such enthusiasm and always feel a bit sad that I am not a part of the team right now. I miss the people so much. I think you don't realize how important your work place is within your social network until it is not there. Certainly I've had contact with people I work with~lots of cards, phone calls and visits but going in there is different. Today was especially difficult and this will related to the Race for the Cure!

Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota (http://www.childrensmn.org/) has always been a strong supported of the Race for the Cure. This year there are more than 300 employees throughout the organization who will be participating. They will also have a booth at the associated health fair...stop by and tell them what a great place Children's is to work for because it is. But this year there is more. Karen A., one of the nurses in the ED designed and took orders for a special Race for the Cure t-shirt for our department. It is a stunning pink and white tie dyed t-shirt. The front of the shirt has the corporate logo displayed. The back is...well, beyond description.

I had heard that Karen had taken on this project but I had no idea of the magnitude. She took orders for 44 shirts and now that they have arrived, she has had requests for more. I would even like to order a few more! These are the shirts that my co-workers will be wearing on Sunday when they participate in the Race for the Cure. She called me yesterday to let me know the shirts were in. While I was there today, I picked up my shirt. I stood in our office and unrolled it and admired the front. It was really pretty. And then I looked at the back...

Amazingly, I did not cry. Until I got back into my car, that is! I cannot believe that Karen and the ED did this for me. I do not deserve this attention and support! I am just one of many thousands of women who have had to deal with this disease. And I am not even that nice at work sometimes! I get crabby and short-tempered. I forget to say thank you to the staff and sometimes take my co-workers for granted. Despite my significant shortcomings, they did this for me...because they care.

The lessons of this cancer diagnosis have been many. Today I add humility to that list. I am so fortunate to be able to work with such a caring and wonderful group of individuals. They are more than co-workers to me. They are a part of an ever-growing support network of concerned others. I am so thankful to them, for their support, encouragement and love.

On Sunday at the race, look for my co-workers. They are the ones who will be wearing these beautiful t-shirts. Karen will be running. If you see her, let her know how wonderful she is. In fact, if you see anyone wearing one of these terrific tees, let her/him know who wonderful she/he is!

And please, don't forget. Mary and my sister Pat have planned an open house lunch back at our place. We're hoping to be home from the MOA by 1 pm. Please stop by if you can. We would like to thank everyone for their kind support of me and my entire family throughout this past 4 months.

I am celebrating another thing...Monday, May 14 is my last chemo!