Walking for a Purpose

I never have counted how many steps I've taken in a day, a week, a month. I've never walked with meaning, for a purpose, for someone, until a few years ago. But this year....this year, I'll be walking for a purpose...well actually a couple purposes. One, two, three & four reasons are named Jayda, Karson, Noa & Evaly. My fifth reason, well I call him Dad.

In May, I'll be walking for the 3rd year in a row in the Walk for Kids Help Phone. The first year, I walked, knowing that Noa & Jayda our first niece & nephew would have the opportunity to use the resources that Kids Help Phone provides, if they felt someday that they couldn't talk to their parents or aunts & uncles. I've been there. I've used it. It's helped not only me, but millions of other kids. Last year, I put in a Boston Pizza team, as we are a national sponsor, and once again, walking, and now for another niece & nephew, Karson & Evaly. Our Boston Pizza team raised $2000, which was amazing.

This year, I'll be walking once again, with my new Boston Pizza team. I really feel my fundraising, my 3 hours spent at the walk, and my heart for the children, make a difference.

This next one, will be hard emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually.

My Dad has Stage 3 Colorectal Cancer. He was diagnosed last July, and was a complete and utter shock to us all. My Dad has always been a healthy, strong man. A volunteer firefighter, a farmer, a Dad to 3 kids, a foreman at a mill making feed for animals. Has lived in the same town for 61 years, in the country, away from smog, emissions, and harm.

My Dad has undergone 6 weeks of Chemo & Radiation, and a very invasive surgery to remove the tumor. Thankfully, the oncologists did everything perfectly and the Chemo & Radiation shrunk the tumor enough to be removed completely during his surgery. With the best case scenario, he has a temporary colonostomy bag. He is now doing additional Chemo treatments, in which he will finish in late May, recover from, and then have surgery to reverse the bag.

My Dad has never done a thing wrong is his life. Not that anyone deserves to be diagnosed with cancer, but my Dad...wouldn't hurt a fly.

My brother, sister, Ryan & I will be walking in the Relay for Life in Lombardy on June 11th. We start at 7pm on the Friday night, and walk until 7am on Saturday morning. Someone from our team has to be walking at all times, so we have long shifts in 12 hours. It will be hard like I said, on all fronts, and I'm sure that there will be many tears...but we know we're walking for a cure, and for my Dad.

As always, with every event of the above two natures, we have to raise funds. I am letting everyone know that I have aimed to raise $500 for each event - Walk for Kids Help Phone and Relay for Life. I don't expect everyone to donate, but if you are able to donate even $5 to each cause, my heart will grow like the Grinch's when he discovers love on Christmas Day.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart, for making sure Jayda, Karson, Noa & Evaly all have support beyond their family, and for ensuring that once my Dad is better, that a cure is found for others diagnosed with cancer.

Walk for Kids Help Phone (please pledge me here)

Relay for Life (please pledge me here)

xox Leslie