Walk With Us

A friend in Maine contacted me sometime ago to tell me that she and another friend were coming to Nebraska. This might not seem like a big deal, but it truly was.  You see I've never actually met this person face-to-face.  Our first contact was on Sister Hugs on Facebook.  Althea posted about it being the anniversary of her sister's death.  I have also lost my sister and her post just leaped out at me.  Althea and I started messaging back and forth.  We have found, and are still finding, that we have many things in common; and have formed a very special friendship.

So it seems fitting that since we met through Sister Hugs that it would be a Sister Hugs event that would lead us to meeting in person.  Althea and her friend Tonya bought plane tickets and made travel arrangements to attend the Sister Hugs cancer walk at Lake Mahoney on June 7th.  My husband, son, and I were very excited to share our Mahoney cabin with our new friends from Maine and looked forward to meeting them at the airport.

But as often happens, plans change.  This past week we received a message from Althea saying that she and Tonya are unable to make the trip at this time.  It wasn't unexpected. You see Althea is amazing with a huge heart.  When first I started visiting with Althea, I learned that she has two friends going through cancer.  One has esophageal cancer, which my sister had; and the other has leukemia, which my mother had.  (I did mention that we have much in common, didn't I?)  Althea has stayed by her friends sides and helps wherever and whenever.  But recently the health of her friend with leukemia has started failing.  Althea is his caregiver and has been on this journey with him from the beginning. She can not just leave the journey now to come to Nebraska.  It seems sadly ironic that it is cancer that is keeping her from being at Lake Mahoney for the cancer walk.

It may be keeping her from coming to Nebraska but it is not keeping her from the cancer walk.  Peggy and I have learned that Althea is forming another cancer walk ... in Maine ... to walk at exactly the same time that we are walking in Nebraska .... June 7th at 7pm.  Isn't that amazing? 

We LOVE it.  And it's such a beautiful idea that we want to share it with all of you.  Sister Hugs has followers across the United States as well as in at least 9 other countries.  Obviously not everyone can join us in Nebraska on June 7th for the cancer walk.  So why not use Althea's idea and have your own walk at the same time that we are walking here?   It's simple!  Just get some friends together and walk in honor of your cancer warriors!!  But send us pics so that we can share them and add them to the Sister Hugs memory book.  Remember June 7th at 7 pm.  And pics ... send those pics!  ~~ Mary