Shelby County Cancer Walk
Everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer. Mother, father, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, cousin, grandparents, or even themselves. A favorite teacher, your best friend. Your husband or wife. Maybe even your child. No one is out of reach of this terrible disease. It doesn't discriminate based on sex, age, race, socioeconomic status, job, house, state, or even country. Everyone is at risk. Some more than others. Some follow family tendencies, some from jobs, some from the way they choose to live their lives. Some, well some seem to not have any rhyme or reason.
According to the Centers For Disease Control, cancer is the 2nd leading cause of death today, with 1 in 4 deaths attributed to this disease. In 2013, there were 1.53 million new cases diagnosed of an invasive cancer, with 584,000 deaths. $74.8 billion healthcare dollars are spent trying to treat the effects of cancer. In Missouri, breast cancer in females is the leading diagnosed cancer, at a higher rate than overall in the United States. Men are diagnosed in Missouri with Prostate cancer, the leading cancer in men, at a lower rate than the average overall in the United States. The third leading cancer diagnosed in Missouri is Lung cancer, both males and females, again at a higher rate than the overall average in the United States. From these figures, it is obvious that something needs to happen. We are loosing too many people, and spending too much money each year fighting this disease. Something has to give.
Across the country, many organizations are doing projects to try to help fight this disease. Some of the money is going towards research, to try to find a cure. Some of the money is going towards organizations that help the person affected. This can be towards helping with medicines, providing funds to the family as they travel back and forth for doctor's appointments and treatment. Some to organizations that are there to support the family members, as they are often forgotten victims of this disease, as their lives are turned upside down as well.
Shelby County Missouri held their own walk this year, a 7 mile walk from Shelbyville to Shelbina. Walking for those fighting. Walking for those that have lost their fight. Walking to show support to all those that continue the battle. Hands4Hope was honored to have 3 team members in this walk this year. Each was walking for a different person. Someone close to them, that they respected. A friend, a family member, the memory of someone no longer here. Each person important, each life touching so many others. And all with the hope that one day, these walks will no longer be necessary. A small step, a large battle. And the goal of winning just on the horizon.
Two of our team members participated in this event this year. This is the second year that they have started, and completed the race. They both had people that they were thinking of on this day. Whether fighting or finally at rest, there needs to be a cure for this terrible disease.
Please take a look at the photos from the day. And we hope that the next time there is an event close to you, that you will look into your heart and put on your shoes. We walk until there is no longer a reason to. Until cancer is a distance memory.
Photos from the Shelby County Cancer Walk Facebook Page.
