For those of you who don’t know, my mother has been battling cancer (more specifically, Sarcoma-- see below) for nearly seven years. She is the epitome of a fighter and I have never seen someone so determined to beat this terrible disease. Because Sarcoma is very rare, it is not as well studied as other types of cancers and the treatment options are kind of guess and check. My mom has had 5 surgeries, countless hospital stays, radiation, chemotherapy, and although none of these things have “cured” her, we still hope and pray that one of these days the right combination of treatment options will bring us a miracle!
In the middle of July my mom was hospitalized with pneumonia. It was there that the Sarcoma Stompers were born- a team of family and friends who would raise money and awareness for the Winship Win the Fight 5k in October. She was finally able to go home six days later with a plan in place to spread the word about the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University and make sure all our friends and family knew as much about Sarcoma as possible. Just a week later, her oncologist planned an event to bring patients and families together. On July 31, 2013 a group of people got together in Piedmont Park for a sunset stroll. The meeting had one goal- to raise awareness and educate people on Sarcoma. What better place for team Sarcoma Stompers to get together for the first time!
Although my mom was unable to physically walk she was surrounded by a huge support system cheering her on. The turnout from our group alone was nearly 40 people! I was so happy that my closest Baby Brigade friends and their families could come, my younger sister and her friends, and my older sister’s lifelong friends and their families were able to attend too. It was amazing to see just a small sampling of the people who are praying, supporting, and encouraging us throughout this tough battle. Although this particular night was considered informal, it gave us great hope that our little team would be able to make a BIG difference this fall! We might not be able to cure cancer, but we sure can help raise awareness of Sarcoma and donate towards more and better research.
Want to know how you can get involved? PRAY for my mom! Want to go even further? Why not join us this October and walk/jog/run for cancer? You can participate in the Winship 5k as part of the Sarcoma Stompers and make a difference this fall! Can’t be in Atlanta but still want to help? Please consider making a donation to our team in support of Sandy Nathan! Any amount is appreciated.
Praying always! xo
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