Hope Is Unstoppable, And So Am I

This is my first blog post ever. I'm hoping to spread the word about what I am trying to do with the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life of Fair Oaks.

We all know someone who has been touched by cancer, someone who is fighting their battle now, or someone who was lost to this mean, ugly disease. I found Relay for Life around this time last year, my sister-in-law's fiancé, Phil Trajan had been fighting cancer for about three years and lost his battle on Feb. 23, 2011. We watched him wither away to nothing. It was honestly one of the hardest things to do...watch someone die, knowing you can't help them at all. So after he passed I went on the search to find a way to help the family grieve and Relay is what I found. I jumped into it without any hesitation, and was so happy for that.

Now, cancer was never a stranger to me. In fact, it ruled a great part of my life. My dad, Barry Patterson fought long and hard with stomach cancer. He lost his battle at the age of 28, I was only five-years-old. So, cancer has always been an ugly thing to me. I saw what it could do, and how it can affect a life even when it's long gone. I struggled a great deal of my life wondering "why him, why me?" And I never knew there was Relay for Life out there to help people get through these times. I'll never forget my first luminaria ceremony (a ceremony during relay to remember those lost) - little paper bags filled with sand and a candle with names of those lost, and some still fighting. Every lap, I stared at my dad's luminarias, wondering again why. With the pretty little lights flickering in the late summer's breeze I felt as if he was with me, then it started to really hit me, maybe this is why...maybe I had to feel sadness to help other people. I'm now convinced this is where I should be, and where I need to be.

Skip ahead to March 2011, my sister-in-law, Amy (the same one who'd watched her husband succumb to cancer) had been having pain in her lower stomach and was told it was cysts. In April, her appendix burst. After routinely testing it, her test results confirmed her appendix was cancerous.

We thought the fight was over when Phil passed, but little did we know it was just beginning. Amy is currently doing chemo treatments every three weeks at UC Davis and we all are optimistic that it will work. Thankfully it was caught pretty early, I like to think Phil pulled some strings wherever he is, so we could enjoy Amy for as long as possible.

I know I can't fight cancer for her, or for anyone else but I like to think that by doing what I am with Relay for Life I will be helping many generations to come. I would like a world where my kids ask me what cancer was and I can tell them it was an ugly disease that took too many lives, but we had a part in stopping it.

This year I was given the oppurtunity to fight a little harder, be Event Chair for Relay for Life of Fair Oaks and jumped at the chance. The people are amazing, supportive, and I am proud to be part of this group. Our location this year is going to be AMAZING, it will be at Sacramento Waldorf School, such a beautiful campus!

If you would like to know more about Relay for Life, you're welcome to join any of our meetings. Our website will be up shortly and I will share that as soon as it is up! Or email me RFLDaniLuna@yahoo.com. I'm happy to answer any questions about our event.

Until the next blog...

Proudly Bleeding Purple,

Danielle Luna