A member of the YACC community sent us this note they had written as a personal memory, but that holds a powerful message for us all.
This year I am competing in the Tely 10, a 10-mile road race in St. John’s, NL. I ran it once before with my then boyfriend, now hubby, many years ago. I always remembered the phrase kids shouted at us: “Go, random stranger, go!”
A lot has changed in eight years. I’m now a wife, a mother, an aunt, a sister-in-law, university graduate, and — oh yeah — a cancer survivor thanks to that rare cancer thing I had this year.
Go, random stranger, go!
Some things haven’t changed. I’m still a daughter, a niece, and a friend to people who have been by my side through ups and downs. I’m still happy in my same career.
Some loved ones think I’m crazy for doing this race, but they still support me. My legs still work and my lungs work. There is currently no medical reason why I can not do this.
My mom was a young adult with cancer. She took advantage of every good day. She taught me how to get through this, so I am going to run, walk, and hopefully not crawl, but maybe dance my way across the finish line.
Go, random stranger, go!
This whole cancer thing has been a journey, but I will not let it define who I am. I am not just this MCP number with the rare cancer. I am the (admittedly) somewhat stubborn confident mother/wife/daughter/niece/aunt/friend/professional who just so happened to have cancer, and I am going to cross the finish line hand in hand with my hubby while our young daughter, friends, and family cheer us on.
Go, random stranger, go!
Some days are about the cancer. And the doctors appointments. And the follow up. But not all days. And not today cancer. Not today.
Today I am going to do something challenging I enjoy with the man I love. My daughter won’t understand why now, but she will when she is older.
Go, random stranger, go!
I am the random person who this happened to. And it could happen to another random person. And to them — and and the other runners — I say: GO, RANDOM STRANGER, GO!
