January 1, 2018, changed everything.

It changed how I felt about the Relay For Life mission. It changed how I “saw” the funds assisting patients and families. How I saw the charity’s need for funding.

That was the day that my father-in-law- passed away from his fight with cancer.

He fought hard for what some would call a handful of years. About 6. And it was a hard fight. With good days and bad. Scary days, and happy ones. ..

Watching this man who… was so intimidating when I first met him, just waste away into almost nothingness… and praying that something could be done to save him…

Watching him struggle… it took so much from our family but, we knew we had to be there for him, no matter what.

We immediately started to more actively support Cancer charities. We got involved in donation whenever we could. My inlaws would attend all sorts of cancer charity events.

Garry S. was the best man ever. The best father. The best grandfather. An amazing husband. A great man.

Dad, an amazing man who will be missed dearly.

When asked this year, “why do you relay”… My answer has always been about finding a cure because I had had family in the past pass away from cancer, however, I was not present for the struggle, I was not in first person view of what the struggles were… This time… I was. This time. I lost someone that was important to me, in ways that none of those other people managed to be.

This year… my answer is…

I relay and will continue to relay, for my dad. Father inlaw or not, he was a father to me. Especially when I needed one. He encouraged me. Pushed me. And wasn’t the type to just appease me.

If I can do one thing in his name to honor him, It would be and will be, I will continue in his name. I will do everything that he wished. Everything that he supported. In one way or another, I will try to help make a change.

This is a list of Charities my father supported. If you would like to help as well, I am sure that he would be looking down from heaven and thanking you as much as I would be.

Charities

One day, if I am honored enough to meet him again… I hope that I have made him proud.

So that is my answer.

I relay for one of the best men I have ever had the honor of knowing, and having in my life.

I relay so that others will have access to medications, and support that they may not have had if not for the Relay For Life team.

I really hope that this answers your question. I wanted to do a video of this but I felt too emotional, and well… in this case, the writing was the best.

I have actually created a video with some photos from the faire. I hope that you enjoy it, I wish I could have taken more photos but, alas, my pc has been acting up but, I think I did an ok job.

Click here for the Fantasy Faire 2018 video

The song I used for this video is called, CØDE – We’re Invincible (feat. Joseph Feinstein). I thought it was perfect. Invinsible is what we all strive for… but, it will be an uphill battle. One we will all have to fight.

Are you or a loved one battling cancer? Find out how many ways the American Cancer Society is there to help. Visit cancer.org or call (US) 800-ACS-2345.

Email: FantasyFaireSL@gmail.com
Website: http://fantasyfaireSL.wordpress.com/
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/groups/fantasyfairesl/
Plurk: http://www.plurk.com/FantasyFaireSL
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FantasyFaireSL
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/fantasyfairesl/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FantasyFaireSL
RFL in SL: www.relayforlife.org/secondlife

American Cancer Society SLurl:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/American%20Cancer%20Society/127/103/21