“If children have the ability to ignore all odds and percentages, then maybe we can all learn from them. When you think about it, what other choice is there but to hope? We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up, or fight like hell.”
-Lance Armstrong
On April 1st, 2011, the St. Jerome’s Community got together and collectively said peace out to Cancer. Actually, the SJU Community took part in Relay for Life: an overnight, non-competitive relay that celebrates cancer survivors and pays tribute to the lives of loved ones who have passed as a result of cancer.
This event was especially special to me as it marked in a large way the end of my journey at SJU. Sure there will be other on campus events like convocation but my involvement in these truly significant and special events is what appears to be over. When I was asked to shave my head for Cancer, I had to jump to the opportunity and say yes. I was honoured to be asked and could not say no to a challenge that is so personal for so many of our faculty, staff and students. I can’t think of anyone who has not encountered Cancer is some way, shape or form.
Many students took part in the event. Several young men “painstakingly wax[ed] their legs” reads a memo released after the SJU Community raised over $19 000 for the Canadian Cancer Society. Other students including myself offered to shave their heads at the $5000, $10 000 and $15 000 mark and off came the hair on our heads as SJU triumphantly said enough with Cancer.
To walk a mile in another person’s shoes is an incredible journey. I am in no way saying that I know what it is like to have cancer but the symbolic symbol of shaving my hair off made me acutely aware in the smallest level what it is like. My dad told me to bring a hat with me for after shaving my head. I was kind of like ‘whatever’ because I’ve had buzz cuts before and haven’t noticed a substantial change but I did and my stepdad was right. I had never had my hair that long before and the fro was looking like its own person. Amanda started to cut off the hair because the blades could not go through the hair. Pieces fell to the ground. I had never seen so much hair in my life. Finally the razors went through and cut my hair to the ground. It was gone and my head felt razor sharp.
Finally I had managed to go outside and it was incredible to understand the ‘new senses’ I had acquired. The wind chopped right through me, it felt that I could hear every acute sound and I needed my winter hat because the hair that in reality kept me warm was no more. A friend who fought a brave and courageous fight with Cancer said to me ‘think about how I felt.’ She is a survivor and took part in this years Relay Victory Lap. Now I’m not pretending to understand what Cancer feels like or know the tremendous impact it has on your body but I do believe that Cancer makes you aware of the smallest details in your own life. For me, my hair leaving felt lighter, it felt that I could feel and hear the tiny motions around me. It felt different. I can only imagine what Cancer feels like when you break through the surface of these effects.
I know a couple of young woman who have shaved their hair for Cancer. All with long locks, one thing that all of them have said afterwards is that the experience was a little emotional. It feels as though something that has been part of your life for so long has been taken away and to understand even in a remote way what that feels like is breath taking. I feel as though that is what this summer is like. It will be like micro comparing your life and analyzing every tiny part. Joanne has said that if all we do this summer is getting our personal ethics in order then we have accomplished something. It is in these words and these nuances that make me alive and invigorated for what lies ahead.
I have five cancer stories and all of these stories make me so incredibly happy to know that over 150 people relayed Friday night and countless more donated to such a worthy cause. Being able to stand united as a community and say peace out to Cancer was not only worth it but incredibly moving.
Between the moments of fun: shaving heads, waxing legs, Frisbee, talent shows, yoga and performances, all of us in the room were aware of the reality of what we were doing during the Luminary ceremony and what it meant to everyone who has been affected by Cancer.
The After Shot:
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