Dancing with Cinderella

Journey of Faith

How this event came to be…

For several years now I had always *thought* that I needed to do something to help this cause. I needed to “pay back” what had been given to me because of my battle with childhood cancer. It stayed as a thought for a long while until I finally had the courage and will to truly do something. I am a 32 year survivor of a childhood cancer called neuroblastoma (cancerous tumor that develops in your nerves). It was a battle that I am blessed to have had (yes, really it WAS a blessing), but I was also too young to remember. My mom is the true survivor of it during the actual treatments, in my opinion. I had the challenge of surviving the aftermath of it- everything it left for me to deal with to this day, mainly through my physical disability, and it has truly been a journey that my faith has carried me through.  And my mom has survived that part of it with me too. 

This past January I purchased a handcycle and was able to participate in a half-marathon, which opened up a new world for me. A world where I could be active and feel proud of myself. During this time is when the seed was planted of wanting to organize a running event to help raise money for childhood cancer. It was more interesting now because it would be something that I could now participate in as well & possibly encourage more disabled people to start becoming more active as well.

I later came across the Reyna Family through an article in The Monitor and that is when I just knew this event HAD to happen and it was going to be for them and the work they were doing to honor their daughter Lou Lou (Lou Lou Reyna Foundation), who fought a brave battle with cancer. The main use for money they raise if to assist families and extra expenses that they face during the treatment time frame (a lot of expenses).

And that is a short, very condensed, explanation of how Journey of Faith was born. With your help I am praying that this will be a successful event. An event that will have multi-purposes… it will- raise money for childhood cancer, raise awareness for childhood cancer, raise awareness for people with disabilites and how they can find abilities and it will bring our community along with people from all over the RGV together for a great cause.

Cancer can be personal, it was and still is for me.

I truly hope you can all join us on this great Journey of Faith!