Why We Relay
Sunday, June 13, 2010
By: Lindsay Mildenberger

This is a summary of why our team Mana olana relays...

It's hard for me to explain in a few simple words why our team came together tonight. Our reason isn't simple but rather many reasons with one common goal. Our team name Mana'olana means hope in Hawaiian. We chose that name because we spent our last family vacation as a family of four in Hawaii. Not long after we returned home, my dad passed away. I am walking because I believe that every daughter should have her father walk her down the aisle and because my children never had the opportunity to know what a wonderful grandfather my dad would have been. Our family is also walking to honour my grandma who beat cancer twice and for Darren's best friend Dacy who is trying so hard to beat his cancer so he can continue to be an already single parent to his daughters. Kristina is also walking in memory of her Opa and Grandma. We are walking with Arlene in memory of her husband Ron and for Arlene's children who not only lost their dad, but lost both of their Grandmas to cancer. We are also honouring Arlene's father who is a cancer survivor. Arlene is also walking for friends they met along the way. In her words, "I also walk for all the friends we made in Calgary at the Tom Baker Cancer Center who survived and those who lost their battle with cancer. When I say battle with cancer, it is very much how we felt when Ron was diagnosed; it was as if we were thrown into a foreign land fighting a war that Ron wouldn't survive! Our families lives have been forever changed we strive to be better because of our trial and not bitter." We are walking with Cheryl who is a 13 year survivor of Ovarian cancer; a cancer that is usually diagnosed too late. Cheryl says, ".I feel fortunate to be here to encourage and support others. I will always remember that journey---- from initial diagnosis, to surgery and chemotherapy.I want to celebrate my victory and fight back with those who continue on this journey." We are walking with Randy and Val. I am so excited for Randy as he was told at the end of May that his treatment for Prostate cancer was a success. When asked specifically why she is here tonight, Val said " Although I have had quite a few times where cancer has affected my life, the time that it has most touched me was when Randy was diagnosed last spring. Most obvious is because he is my husband, my soulmate, my life." Val's Dad was also diagnosed with cancer and successfully treated during Randy's therapy. We are here with Mary Lou and Sonia to honour Colin. Mary Lou's daughter, Sonia's sister-in-law and my cousin Janelle had their wedding completely planned but had to cancel when Colin was diagnosed with leukemia. He had a stem cell transplant in Calgary and we all were there to celebrate his success at their wedding exactly one year later. We are walking in honour of and in memory of parents, grandparents, siblings, children, family and friends. We are walking because no child should lose a parent, because retirement should be a time you spend with your spouse, because weddings should not be cancelled to receive treatments and because no one should have to hear the words "You have cancer."