Walker Spotlights
Meet some of the walkers
Lindsay Whitelaw
I walk for my grandmother who died of breast cancer when I was only a year old. I can’t help but to wonder if today’s medical technology and support systems were around for her, if things might have been different. So, I walk in memory of her every year.
I raise the money and walk every year because it’s a wonderful way to be involved and do something meaningful for people in this community. It would be easier to just write a check, but I feel like I’ve had a greater impact raising the money and walking.
The walk two years is a great example. It was cold and raining the entire time. There were several times I saw the courtesy van coming and just wanted to quit. The thought that kept me going was that cancer patients aren't afforded that luxury. They can’t just stop fighting their disease when they get tired or uncomfortable.
Crossing the finish line that day was a life-changing experience.
Valerie Fagan
I participate in the In Their Shoes Walk because I believe in the Loran Smith Center for Cancer Support. I believe in the influence the programs have on the lives of cancer patients and their families.
My grandmother and several relatives have battled cancer. In the 1960s, when my grandmother had cancer, support programs like those offered at the Loran Smith Center were rare. My family was forced to deal with her illness in isolation.
That’s not the case today. The Center’s programs contribute to the coping and healing process through education, financial relief and compassionate care.
There are moments in the journey when learning about the benefits of expressing fear and doubt through writing or painting are invaluable. Other times the support is financial like getting medications when they are needed without the burden of having to pay for them. Still other days, giving a gentle touch and a kind word that helps get someone through the day is more meaningful than anything else.
The Loran Smith Center is a haven for cancer patients and their loved ones, providing them with a respite from the trials and tribulations they experience while on this journey. Coming to the Loran Smith Center means --- you do not have to walk this journey alone.
Whitney Byce
Three years ago, I participated in my first In Their Shoes walk. It was an opportunity for me to help others in the community I grew up in and a way to challenge myself to do something I’d never done before.
In a matter of three years, my reasons for walking have changed. I walk this year in memory of a co-worker who lost her battle against cancer and in honor of my grandfather who beat cancer and my granny who is currently in the fight of her life.
As the team chair for the Athens Area Cancer Auxiliary team, I remind my teammates that raising the money and walking the 13.1 mile course is another way we can show our friends, loved ones and community members that we support them.
Even the best medical treatment in the world is not enough to fight cancer on all of its fronts. It takes physical, emotional and spiritual support to win this battle.
Every penny I raise and every step I take for In Their Shoes benefits the Loran Smith Center for Cancer Support. I’m helping ensure not only my family and friends, but also your loved ones, have the support they need to survive.
October 13, 2012
Athens, Georgia