We’re just about 24 out from what will be the hardest thing, physically and mentally, that I’ve ever done.
BUT, do you know what is harder? Brain cancer. Pediatric brain cancer is the SECOND leading cause of death in children. Brain cancer as an 11 year old girl is whole hell of a lot harder. Imagine when you were 11 – did you have a walnut size incurable tumor growing in the middle of your brain? Olivia does, and I hate it. I hate all of it. I can’t really do anything about it, but I can swim, so I’m going to swim as many miles as it takes to raise money for pediatric brain cancer research to find a way to get that fucking walnut out of her head.
Tomorrow, I’m going to be achy and in pain for about 10-11 hours. My body is going to go from feeding off glycogen stores to literally feeding off body fat. I’m also swimming at night at 6,300ft above sea level and its going to be cold as hell.
You know what else is cold? Hospitals. IVs. Needles. Cancer is cold.
Kids with cancer are in pain for weeks, months, years. They’re poked and prodded by nurses, doctors, machines…don’t even get me started with the chemo – it’s a living nightmare. Kids with cancer are kept inside. They can’t jump on the trampoline. They miss out on school, recess and friends. Kids just want to be kids, but kids with cancer don’t get that luxury. They have to be strong. They have to take their treatments that make them sick or make them uncomfortable. It totally sucks.
Did you know that less than 4% of federal funding allocated to cancer research is for pediatric cancers, with less than 1% specifically for brain tumor research? …yeah, what the heck is wrong with that? EVERYTHING. We’re giving ALL of this money DIRECTLY to the DOCTORS. We’re going to fight for the kids with walnuts in their brains because they need our help.
So yeah, tomorrow I’m going to be in some pain, but it’s a small price to pay to raise this money for Olivia and all the other kids with brain cancer. Help me fight this battle. We’re just over half way there! Let’s get ALL the way there!
Unicorns and Jellyfish 