Well, it’s been a fantastic year,
but we’re not finished yet! We have just hours to go until the event of the
year: Relay For Life. It’s time, however, to remember, remember that we Relay
for those battling cancer day by day, those who won, and those who lost. We
have survivors within our own community, and today we’re going to explore just
one story, and, hopefully, get inspired to bring in those last few dollars
right before the big night.
Leigh Barie, a second year here at
UVA, has been around the track and back; battling a brain tumor at the very
young age of ten. She recounts that after taking a few too many falls at a
family ski trip, she exhibited signs of a concussion. After a few tests, she
remembers hearing that “I was shockingly diagnosed with brain cancer and within
a month I found myself on the operating table at the Children's Hospital of
Philadelphia, fighting for my survival against impossible odds.” Can you
imagine? A family ski trip turned towards the absolute worst-case scenario. I,
for one, am trying to understand what it must have been like for Barie, to
hear words no-one should ever hear, let alone a ten-year-old little girl.
Thankfully, Barie had a wonderful
support group behind her during this incredibly difficult time of her life, a
group lead by her own mother. Barie recounts, “Although I will forever be
indebted to the doctors and nurses who were my own personal miracle-workers,
giving me a second chance in life, it is my mother who will always be my
hero. It was in the hospital that I came to realize the overwhelming
power of a mother's love, for only she could tenderly comb through what was
left of my tangled hair, matted with blood and pieces of flesh; only she could
look at my swollen and battered face and not burst into tears, always keeping a
brave face on for my sake; only she could sleep in a chair by my side, never
letting go of my hand.” Her mother, through thick and thin, was there for her.
Even to this day, Barie holds and incredible amount of respect and love with
her mother, and these two incredible women share a bond with a strength not
often seen.
As we Relay, we must remember WHY
we Relay. During that first, momentous lap, let’s keep in our hearts the
memories of Barie and her family, the stories we all hold, the memories we all
have. Remember that this Relay just isn’t about raising money (although it is
incredibly important). Relay is about recognizing that Cancer Never Sleeps, So
Neither Do We. We walk to share the cause, and bring hope to those who suffer,
as well as those who survive.
Let’s have the best Relay ever
everyone,
Relay Love,
Relay For Life at UVA
