Extra Life

well, this weekend i participated in the extra life fundraiser to help raise money for pediatric cancer research. it was a very long, very grueling day filled with coffee, fun and laughs. however, it was also a day filled with emotion as we heard stories from people about loved ones they lost to cancer or of their own fights against this dreadful disease. i myself have been touched by cancer as it claimed the life of my grandfather 5 years ago, august 10th. prior to my grandfather's death, i had not been able to visit him for some time and he suddenly took a turn for the worse and passed before i was able to tell him the things that i wanted to tell him. i wanted to say goodbye. i wanted to tell him i loved him. i wanted very much for him to know that even though i was not there and wasn't able to visit, that i thought of him constantly, however ... i never got the chance. for 5 years now i've lived with this realization and i've burdened what can only be referred to as guilt. everything i earned and everything i donated was all in honor and memory of my grandfather and while i was able to raise $192.00--and donate $48 myself--to helping fund research for ppediatric cancer, i also had somewhat selfish reasons behind it and i did it for me.

as many of you know, i don't talk about my feelings or divulge too much information about my life. i'm a somewhat private person and keep a lot of my thoughts to myself, but i learned this weekend that talking about something and having people listen, or even listening to others, is a healing process and while i miss my grandfather so much, i know he's not in pain anymore and i know that he knew i loved him so much.

this weekend--in what i can only call an amazing event and an amazing time--we, as a whole, earned over $106,000 for the children's cancer hospital of texas. i am truly honored to have been a part of such a tremendous and selfless charity and i will definitely do it again next year and i urge others to participate. i may even form a cosmicenigma team next year and i hope i can count on some of you to help out for an amazing cause.

so, while i was in a fair amount of pain from lack of sleep and from sitting for so long (though i did take short breaks on occasion), i know that my discomfort was minor compared to what those amazingly brave children with cancer go through on a day-to-day basis.

just to let everyone know, there is still time to donate. extra life is still accepting donations until october 28th and i will be leaving up the widget to the left of the screen until such time, so if you still want to help out, please donate what you are able to. every little bit helps.

<3

::Cheer:: Dio

Good job on your marathon gaming to help children affect by cancer. That is the most horible thing to imagine. A child without the chance to truly live having to suffer. Gunner's Grandfather died from cancer. I had gotten to meet him once. He sadly never got to meet any of his great grandchildren. He died the month before we were to visit. It ended up changing alot in our lives. I live in fear that one day someone much closer to me will die fromt his horrible illness. I have a family of smokers that don't take care of themselves. Could be why I am so crazy about healthy living.

i look forward to participating with you next year.

i am definitely looking forward to teaming up with you, luna. it's an amazing event and 24 hours of gaming is certainly a small price to pay, i think.

it's sad to say but cancer has probably touched everyone's life in one way or another, be it a family member, teacher, friend or even a friend of a friend. it's a horrible disease and it needs to be stopped.

Well Done Mr.

It's great you found a fun way of raising money.
Cancer is a mean and vicious thing to experience it not only effects the patient but the family and friends around them. I've nursed many people with cancer in my short years and it never gets any easier watching the rollercoaster of emotions that they experience.
Cancer has touched us all at some point "It even touched my special area" and at times like that we know family and friends are so important.

I think it's amazing what you've all achieved Dio Good Job!