The Last Day: Life is a Gift

The final 26.2 miles (42km) of The Victory Walk seemed to be the shortest of them all. I started somewhere in Farmington Hills and walked through Southfield, Berkley, Royal Oak, and Ferndale before finally turning toward Detroit...and home. When I got to the Fox Theater, there was Jana waiting for me with other family and friends and then we all walked the last 1/2 mile together. Amazingly, the pain in my feet went away...mind over matter. I knew that I was near the end of the trek and nothing was going to stop me from walking to the finish line with anything less than a full stride and my head held up high. It was a heartfelt ending to a challenging and painful journey, but as I entered Campus Martius Square to see more family, friends, and Karmanos team members, I thought about what I had just done. In my mind, I glanced back at the road behind me and realized that I wouldn't have had it any other way. It was difficult, but that is what makes it so rewarding. If it had been easy, then my statement about cancer would not be as strong as it needs to be. I am completely at peace with myself and I can finally let go of what happened in the past.

Although The Victory Walk was the end of one part of my life, it is also the beginning of another. While it has laid to rest the demons of years gone by, it is the first step that I have decided to take toward helping others in the years to come. My goal is to establish, or collaborate with, a charitable organization that helps to prevent and treat cancer among children in developing nations. Sadly, 90% of pediatric cancer cases in the world are in developing countries, but only 40% of them receive treatment. Something must be done about this and I can't just sit back on the glory of what I have just done and watch these children waste away. Prevention through improved nutrition and education coupled with finding ways of providing treatment to those who are already diagnosed with cancer will be the focus of my efforts for many years to come. Ideally, I'd like to make it my life's work. Is that possible? Of course, it is....walking over 450 miles to help others has reminded me that, although it might not be easy, I can accomplish any goal that I set for myself and believe in my heart. Oddly enough, I am thoroughly convinced that living through cancer was one of the best things that has ever happened to me. It taught me at an early age that life is not all about the material things you can buy, in fact, that is probably the least important thing.