9th Annual Hope & Heroes Walk

My brother Tommy battled Lymphoma as a child. It's a terrible disease, and the treatment, though life saving, is incredibly difficult (I struggle to find a more appropriate word, but I don't want to resort to profanity, so I'll leave it at that.) Bottom line: it sucks - a lot.

And YET, Tommy faced it with courage, humor, and empathy. He was more worried about others than himself. Nurses in the hospital loved him, and so did other patients in the pediatric oncology ward. I can't imagine what it takes to have the energy and the heart to be such a positive presence in so many people's lives in the face of such suffering. I was just a little kid who liked comic books when Tommy first got sick. I'm sure it sounds cliche, and I didn't appreciate it then, but Tommy was the best example of a hero I could have ever hoped for.

Even more incredibly, Tommy wasn't the only one. I already mentioned the other patients in the pediatric oncology ward at the hospital - each one of them was hurting, in every sense of the word, but still pushed through and inspired people around them.

For years now, my family has participated in the Hope and Heroes Walk. The walk raises money for the Hope & Heroes Children's Cancer Fund, which supports and expands existing programs and therapies for children with cancer. Just as importantly, it's an opportunity to celebrate these heroes, for them to see the support and appreciation we all have for them, and for everyone to get together, forget about the pain and suffering disease causes, and contribute to improving treatment and finding a cure.

Please consider donating whatever you can (I sincerely mean that. I won't look down on donations of a dollar or less- everything counts.) If you're unable to donate, then a word of encouragement or two would be great too.