Walk 4 Our Kids 5K

After driving home from DC through the night, we were able to get a few hours of sleep before heading out with the sunrise for our 3rd Annual Walk4Our Kids! We were blessed with an amazing warm and sunny day and over 400 people!! It is always humbling and emotional to see all the support for our Brenners' Cancer Kids. We had over 20 teams this year for our little warriors and angels. Here are just a few...

We kicked off the morning by recognizing our warriors and survivors. Sweet grace, an osteosarcoma warrior, sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"...

This year, our walk fell on Mother's Day weekend, so we decided to honor our cancer moms. We are hurled into a world we always avoided and could never bear to think about; forced to become doctors, nurses, and case managers overnight; develop a twisted sense of humor and coping abilities that enables us to make our child's cancer battle part of our everyday life; and become lifetime advocates for pediatric cancer driven by the suffering and losses knit into our souls. Cancer mamas are a force to be reckoned with.

Every year, we remember our angels. The children whose battles ended way too young and are no longer here with us. Every year the list seems overwhelmingly long and every year it grows. There have been so many losses this year of children so close to us- ones who have been at this walk every year.  This was also our first walk without Vinny. I admire Sarah and Charlie so much for their ability to carry on this mission in the depths of their grief.

This year we wanted to honor our angel mamas with flowers, necklaces with their child's picture, and a balloon release for our angels...

Then it was time to get warmed up, walk, and carry on the fight.

 

Carter decided he wanted to run the 5K this year. He had planned to train for it, but our busy spring and bad weather didn't allow for that. After getting home from DC so late, I told him he didn't have to run or walk if he didn't feel up to it. He decided to go ahead and run and finished in 25 minutes! This kid amazes me! (Thanks Debby and Ginny for running it with him.) He was so proud to finish and to run this one for Vinny. It was a tough day for him. Vinny has always been his sidekick, especially at events like this. We are proud of you Carter...

We are thrilled to announce that the walk raised $47,680! We were able to pay off the beach condo the foundation purchased last year which will enable us to send even more of our local cancer families on respite getaways. Thank you so much for all you love and support enabling us to continue to make a difference!