Forward

So I have this Great Nephew, Marshall Palmer, who is related through marriage. Marshall  is a walker for cancer. He lost his dad to this scourge of our Earth five years ago. At the same time I lost a friend of twenty three years. Chris Palmer was Marshall’s dad and my friend.

Relay for Life has been a fundraising venue on the Eastern Shore for years. Chris Palmer with his and extended family marched for many years to help raise funds for Cancer research. Today Marshall continues that history through new efforts from afar. Marshall now lives in suburban Chicago with an even bigger extended family. A new step-father, siblings and all the extensions associated with them.

So my thought is this.  I have close to 300 friends on Facebook, a bunch on Twitter and God knows how many visitors to The Rooster Blog.  Perhaps we could get a donation or two out of some of you. If everyone gave a BUCK to Teamraiserworkshop, how cool would that be?

We are all touched in some way, family, friends, associates and neighbors who have or had cancer. If you can help Marshall out with a donation, please go to the site below.

The Rooster thanks you.

The Reason I Walk by Marshall Palmer

Marshall and his dad.

It’s been almost 5 year since my Dad died. Sometimes it seems like so long ago, and sometimes it feels like it was last month. It’s weird. For those of you who don’t know me and know my story, cancer took my dad from me. Throughout his life, my dad battled three kinds of cancer, non-hodgkins lymphoma, micro-eperdermoid carcinoma (cancer of the salivary gland), and finally melanoma. During his final battle with cancer, my dad spent his years in clinical trials before his melanoma became too serious that nothing could slow it down anymore. Although he is not with us anymore there are parts of my dad that he has left behind to create his Legacy of Fighters. Throughout my entire life we have always been fundraising to find a cure for cancer. Whether it was participating in Relay for Life, our annual Valentines fundraiser Romance for a Cure, or our Cancer Makes me Crabby fundraiser, we were determined to beat the beast, and still are to this day.

While we were doing our part to find a cure, my dad was doing his own. Not only did he participate in fundraising, over the years, my dad spent his life trying to help doctors find a cure for cancer. When his Melanoma had spread to his lungs and in all other organs, he participated in a clinical trial. After a month, he came out of that trial with no more melanoma in his lungs, they had found a cure. Although it did not cure the rest of his melanoma, that trial had found a cure for Lung Cancer patients such as Football Coach Jeff Renihan of Graceville, Florida. One day my mom got a letter saying that this man had been fighting lung cancer and when he heard of the trial my dad was in, he knew he needed to be a part of it. After a lot of pushing and begging they got him in the trial and after that day, Coach Renihan was cancer free.

I have realized that the superheroes in the movies that stop a meteor from crashing into the earth or the ones that stop an alien invasion aren’t the ones that truly matter – its the ones that give their lives to finding a cure and helping those who are battling cancer. Although my dad is not here anymore, his legacy lives on and we will not stop until cancer is no more! This year to give back, I am fundraising for the Wellness House, along with my new siblings, to help those battling cancer. Their mom, MJ, who also battled cancer, was not only a participant at the Wellness House but also a strong supporter. The Wellness House gives support to those battling cancer, along with their families. As I walk in memory of my Dad this year, please join me in making the lives of survivors better, and continuing to search for cures. Cancer just can’t win this battle. As my family always said Beat the Beast, it’s who we are, it’s what we do.

http://events.wellnesshouse.org/site/TR/Events/TeamRaiserWorkshop?px=1005145&pg=personal&fr_id=1040