Paddling to give back

It's hard to believe that it was about a year ago that I first found out my cancer had come back. To find out that the cancer had metastasized to my lungs, sternum, clavicle and lymph nodes was the scariest news we had ever received. We were also told that this is stage four cancer, with no cure and we were devastated to say the least. The year that has followed has been a roller coaster of treatments, emotions, pain, sickness and exhaustion, but it has also been wonderful. We have learned that we are surrounded by an army that is ready to help us in any way possible and for that we are beyond thankful.

Marlee, myself and Scott when he presented me

with the generous donation.

One of the people in our army is a friend named Marlee, who introduced us to her cousin Scott Burton. Before I met Scott I called myself a paddle boarder. After I met him I realized there is a big difference between what I do, which is stand on my board on sunny days and paddle in calm conditions, and what he does, which is paddling (with arms or paddle) on freezing, rainy days in less than calm conditions. If that wasn't enough for me to admire him, he is also one of the organizers of a fundraiser called the 24. The 24 started in Seattle in 2015 with a guy named Troy Nebeker from Monster and Sea (monsterandsea.com) who raises money for local families dealing with cancer. Scott took the initiative to bring the 24 here to Vancouver with one team of paddlers who took turns paddling for 24 hours. This year is the third year for the Vancouver group, and there are now three groups of paddlers, paddling at three different locations. Here is the best news, last year our family was one of the recipients of an envelope (each family who gets an envelope gets $1000). We were blown away by this donation from a group we hadn't even heard of. It allowed our family to go on a getaway and just be ourselves, away from all the appointments and treatments I was going through. Last year when I met Scott and heard about the amazing work that this group does I made it a goal to participate in the 24 this year. Well, here we are a year later and I plan on participating in the 24 tomorrow alongside my friend Marlee. I am thrilled to be able to paddle with this group who gives back so much to so many families like my own.

If you have the means, and you find it in your heart to donate to the 24 we would be very grateful. I can tell you personally that the money goes directly to families who are dealing with cancer. It is not used to find a cure but rather to give families who are dealing with cancer a break. There are no strings attached to the money but instead it can be used however the families see fit. We used it for a little vacation, but it can also be used to cover bills, pay for alternative treatments, etc. Here is the link: https://www.gofundme.com/ms-24-hr-paddle-for-cancer-van2018

In the meantime, I continue to do well enough. I have been going through some tests as of late and we hope to have the results soon. I live with exhaustion and pain, but also love and laughter. Every day I get to spend with my kids, my husband Daryl, our family and friends is a day to be thankful for, and I try not to take a moment for granted.

Love Jen