This past Saturday was Relay for Life down here in the ole swamp. Totally different from how I am use to doing it, it Vidalia we have it on a Friday night from 7pm to 7am. Down here in Catholic Cajun Country we had it Saturday from 5 pm to 2am. But hey, at least I work at a school that participates in it this year. Monroe was big on Race for the Cure, I support it, but we have always been big Relay people.
I don't think I have ever shared it on here but when I was in high school both of my grandparents were diagnosed with cancer within about 3 weeks of each other. My Nanny had breast cancer, and Pop had prostate. [funny story- they both had their appendixes removed when they were 12] Both were early detection and came out clear and by the textbook. But not before I got to see Nanny with a blue boob after surgery, yeah the radioactive dye stuff they injected her with gave her a blue boob, plus she had my mom doodle on the good one so the doctore knew who now to cut open. Ha! Even though it was a very serious time of their and our lives it was still comical. I overheard conversations about the prostate surgery that I never want to hear again! We tend to be a funny group even in the worst of times.
Even with my Nanny's cancer being so "by the book" and her coming out clear as can be her doctor did warn my mother, sister, and I that hormones should not be something we ever consider. They highly suspect that hormone replacement drugs are what sparked her breast cancer.
If I have learned anything from their experience it is that early detection is key. Had Nanny waited a few months she could have died from the agressive type of breast cancer she had. You can read more about my grandparents story here. It is the article the local paper wrote about them. Funny thing is that most people didn't know they had cancer until the article came out...it was an interesting day to say the least.
Will all of that said, I think you can see why I like to participate in this cause. Here are a few pics from our night, our theme was [our school name] Lures a Cure. We dressed like fisher-women. I had to borrow a lot of gear...seeing as how I don't fish much these days.
Our fund raising tactic at the Relay was that you could take a pic with live gators from Greenwood Alligator Farm. If you have watched Swamp People you have seen Greenwood, that is where Liz drops off her gators at the beginning of this season. Yes, I literally live where this is filmed ha!
Jeremy was all about some gator holding. I on the other had don't mind being really close to them, but I can't touch them. They are just too close to lizards. I can't be within sight of a lizard, so the ability to hug someone who is holding a alligator is quite odd. But my thought on gators is that there is no chance one will show up in my kitchen unannounced...lizards however are out to get me on a regular basis.
I always love the luminary ceremony. I really hate that I won't be home for Relay in Vidalia this year. Last year was really special because a friend of mine's mother was celebrating her 15th (I am pretty sure) year cancer free. We also got to walk the care giver lap with Pop. [It has been several years since I was off work to participate :(]
Although my real cajun friends said this was no the best biegnet ever, it was the best one I had that night. And seriously, who can resist a butterfly shaped fry bread. I did my usual fair food rounds, fried pickles, biegnet, roast pig, and pastalaya. Well the cajun round, state fair food is totally different that what you get down here.
We headed home a little after 10, we had to be at church bright and early Sunday. It was a great time and a lot of money was raised to support cancer research. Plus Jeremy came and had absolutely no obligation to and helped out like he was on the team. That definitely made being out late on a Saturday night worth it.
What are your favorite charities/causes to support?
