A Walk Across America- From An Insider
“Listen Adam and Libby,” said my dad. Meanwhile, my mom sat next to him with tears streaming down her face “your mom has been diagnosed with colon cancer. She is going to be okay though, we will get through this.”
My eight-year-old self asked myself, “hmm cancer?”
I was very unsure about what to think about the cancer diagnosis, but knew that it was not good considering my mom was in tears. Although, my mom’s diagnoses was not even the beginning to the hardships my family will undergo. You might be asking yourself how? How at 8-years-old was that not the worst news you have ever heard? But it wasn’t, it was just another hurdle.
My dad left for Iraq when I was only five-years-old. I had convinced myself for the first couple of months that he was just on a very long vacation. He was gone for 14 months. 14 long months of my mom being an only parent, my brother and grandpa becoming a father figure for me and family-friends taking me to school and gymnastics practice, but somehow we made it work.
Even when he came home, he just wasn’t himself, as anyone would be coming back from war.
He decided to move out of our home. He wanted to be alone, unbothered and keep to himself.
At this point, my mom’s cancer diagnosis did not seem so bad. But when the doctor told my dad that my mom had stage IIIC colon cancer, his purpose and passion changed.
He instantly moved back home and cared for my family.
He found joy in fundraising for cancer. He even invented is own crazy fundraising ideas – such as a Polar Bear Dip in Northeast Ohio. The Polar Bear Dip consists of jumping in a freezing cold lake to raise money and awareness for cancer. This event continues to grow every year and was 100% his idea. He made flyers himself and hung them all over town.
He also started a fundraising event called “Climb for a Cure” along side advocates, Chris Ganser, Brian Threlkeld, and Evan Conant. They founded Climb for a Cure because they knew if survivors could fight colorectal cancer, they could climb a mountain. This year over 80 colorectal cancer survivors, caregivers and advocates made the climb to the top of Quandary Peak near Breckenridge, Colorado. Chad and the other founders have raised not only thousands of dollars over the years, but also vital awareness of the importance of screening.
Raising awareness lit a fire within him to help others. I get the chills every time I think about how selfless he has been throughout my mothers cancer journey.
Fight Colorectal Cancer changed my parents lives forever. Each year, they attended call-on-congress they met so many spectacular people along the way.
But then my dad was on to the next great adventure. “When I turn 50 I am going to walk across the country.” My dad would tell people and then my mom would yell at him out of embarrassment.
Our family would laugh and joke about about my dad’s journey across America, but about a year ago none of us really thought he would follow through with it.
Once he found Fight CRC and knew there was a way to turn it from “walking across the country” to “walking for a cure,” which made him even more motivated.
And that’s when it finally sank in, “Wow this thing really is going to happen.”
Now he has walked over 1,500 miles and has walked through 10 states. We miss him all the time. Some days are harder than others, especially when I need gas money or when I need help moving to my new apartment (LOL). But seriously though, we miss him a lot.
For all of you that has followed along with his journey you can really see how impactful it is. We keep reminding ourselves that he is truly making a difference for so many people.
Learn More about Cancer Stroll! Donate to Support his Efforts!
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