(The purpose of this 16-week blog is to shine the light on childhood cancer by sharing our family’s personal experience as I prepare to run my first ever half marathon and raise money to help children with cancer and their families. Be a part of the story! Donate here then share with your own family and friends.)
I absolutely love superhero movies, probably way more than any other girl that I know. Once I searched “How to watch the full Marvel Cinematic Universe in chronological order” and then I did it.
I am not kidding.
Captain America, Agent Carter, Iron Man, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, The Avengers, Agents of Shield, Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man, Spiderman, XMen…the list goes on. As you can imagine, it took some time to accomplish this feat but I really did it.
This is not something that I am particularly proud of. Just a fun fact that not many people knew about me until right now.
One thing that I have observed while watching all these fictional stories play out is that the superheroes are only “super” heroes because they possess some unreal ability that was made up by a writer with a good imagination.
Superman puts on a cape and flies.
Iron Man has to create a special suit to be super AND stay alive.
Spiderman shoots webs out of his wrists.
Thor has an awesome giant hammer that only he is able to pick up and swing around.
The Hulk gets mad, turns green, then grows so big that all of his clothes rip to shreds off of his body (except for his pants which seem to grow with him…not sure how that happens.)
Some shoot lasers out of their eyes;
some can turn a sunny day instantly into a tornadic storm;
others grow long, sharp metal claws out of their knuckles to rip apart their enemies.
BACKSTORY:
I have had the privilege of knowing some real superheroes in my life. Their superhero abilities are real and they are extraordinary. I have said many times that God seems to put something special into kids who suffer with cancer. They are super optimistic, super wise, super compassionate, often super funny, much more than the average human being.
A few years ago, a dear girl and friend of mine who has had to deal with cancer and the after effects since the age of 9, said to me “Wendy, do you think that it’s better for a kid to get cancer when they’re little and don’t understand or when they are older and know what’s going on?”
First of all, who starts a question with “do you think that it’s better for a kid to get cancer…”? I’ll tell you who…those of us who have lived in the world of childhood cancer for too many years. These are the things we ponder. For us, it is not “rare” for a child to have cancer. In fact, many times we know more sick kids than healthy ones.
Are you wondering how I answered her question? Well, I thought for a minute, because I knew that she wanted a real and truthful answer. Then I said “I think it’s better for a little one who doesn’t know then they won’t be scared about possibly dying.”
My young friend said “I disagree. I think it’s better when you’re older and understand because then it has the ability to change you into a better person.”
Wow.
No one wants to go through cancer in order to be changed for the better. But cancer and lots of other really crappy things happen to us every day that we have no control over. There is one thing we do control, however, and that is the way that we will allow those things to change us.
THE STORY:
When I decided to listen to the crazy voices in my head and sign up for this half marathon, I decided that I also wanted to find a way to remember all of those superhero kids that have personally changed my life.
I order to do this I have decided to sew individual ribbons, with each child’s name written on them, onto the shirt I will be wearing on race day. This will be a visual reminder to everyone who sees it and it also allows me to physically carry the names of these kids as I go. These are kids who have died and also those who have survived (some now into adulthood) but I know each one personally or through their surviving mom or dad. And these are not just St. Jude kiddos. Childhood cancer is everwhere.
So far there are 89 ribbons.
I have listed their names here…first names only to protect privacy. It’s a long list so you can skim down through or read each name, if you choose. Those with an asterisk (*) are those who have died.
You will see their names. I see their faces.
These are the superheroes that I run for… (You won’t want to miss listening to the Song of the Week at the end of this list)
Addison*
Alejandro*
Alex*
Amaya*
Amelia*
Andre*
Andy*
Ashton*
Bobby*
Brandon*
Braydon*
Bree*
Brent*
Brian*
Bryce*
Camden*
Cameron*
Carson*
Catie*
Chase*
Chris*
CJ*
Courtney*
David*
Devan*
Espn*
Gracie*
Leslie*
James*
Jessica*
Jina*
Jonathan*
Josh O.*
Josh R.*
Kaden*
Luis*
Matt*
Matthew*
Miriam*
Myah*
Nicholas Adam Avery*
Nick R.*
Odie*
Owen*
Quincy*
Quintillius*
Ryan*
Sam*
Sarah*
Scott*
Sean*
Shannia*
Susie*
Sydney*
Thomas*
Tyler C.*
Tyler K.*
Will*
Alex
Braydon
Christopher
Clay
Dennis
Emily
Evans
Hayley
Hutch
Jack
Jakayla
Jamarius
Javon
Jayden
John
Jordi
Julia
Leland
Louis
Marcela
Morgan
Noah
Pete
Phillip
Regan
Samantha E.
Samantha S.
Stephanie
Thomas
Vivian
THE SONG:
The song of the week is #50 on my Run Day Playlist…Superheroes by The Script. I love this song because it reminds me of all of those names I just listed above. They are the real superheroes. Listen and remember the superheroes in your life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIm1GgfRz6M
When you’ve been fighting for it all your life,
You’ve been struggling to make things right,
That’s how a superhero learns to fly.
Every day, every hour, turn the pain into power.
Be part of the story! Donate here…
93 days until Race Day and so far we have raised $2,097 to save the lives of kids everywhere! THANK YOU!!! Let’s see how much more we can raise!
If you are unable to donate financially, please consider passing along this message to others who can. Thank you!
http://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR/Heroes/Heroes?px=2078389&pg=personal&fr_id=59186
Many of you who are reading this most likely know our Backstory, or at least part of it. If you don’t and would like to know more details of Nick’s story, you can visit his CaringBridge site here…