so … the weekend to end breast cancer is over. it was quite an experience! no, i didn’t walk the whole 60k – i managed 25. being good to my body was more important to me than pushing myself. i still felt a little stiff today, though – although not nearly as stiff as i would have felt hadn’t my friend danielle on saturday and my husband yesterday given me some absolutely lovely foot and leg rubs!
one of the things i love about the walk is the place of honour given to the last walker. on saturday, i had the honour of clapping the last walkers into camp. it was a heady experience, standing there, clapping to the beat of great dance music, welcoming that last person with everyone giving her high fives.
yesterday, the last walker was john, a man who seems to walk pretty much every single one of the weekend to end cancer walks. no wonder he was last – he needs to pace himself! and i bet he never got swept up by the sweeper cars but walked every single inch (centimetre, i guess) of those 60 kilometres!
there is a picture (unfortunately i’ve lost it), with my friend heady (she’s the shorter of the two “baldies”) as part of the survivors circle. the survivors circle is a group of eight breast cancer survivors who come up to the stage, the circle representing the neverending support, and also enclosing in spirit those who had to leave this world without knowing a cure for cancer.
and then there was the crew. the people who made this walk so pleasant: the route markers, the people who handed out food, the lovely ladies who drove the vans sweeping up us walkers who needed to get off our feet, the medical crew who looked after blistered feet and sore backs, and everyone else, and, oh, those handsome motorcycle guys who made it safe for us to cross the streets … yum!
isabella mori
counselling in vancouver