October 8, 2013

White Dog is helping me organize a Candle Light Vigil to honor the Warriors, Survivors and Those Who Give Care to those who meet the personal challenge of battling the c monster within their own bodies. November is National Canine Cancer Awareness Month. It is also a month of awareness of human lung, carcinoid, pancreatic, and stomach cancers. Family Caregivers are honored in November as well.

We began our foundation, Paws To People, Bridges To Cures, to fight this universal evil through comparative oncology studies. This promising research unites the veterinary and human medical fields in a single goal to jointly seek the causes, preventions and cures to rid the world of a disease that takes too many too soon. The fight is still our primary battle although we now seek to apply the same wondrous approach to research in other catastrophic diseases that affect both humans and pets.

One of the strongest, most meaningful parts of our "serious" Events is our Tribute Wall. It has been a centerpiece of our previous Walks and always provides a oasis of memory, honor, and yes, tears, too. It is an essential part of why we do what we do.

Tribute Wall from our first Walk in 2011.

In the past, so many of you who have lost loved ones, both two- and four-legged, have been kind enough to share a photo, a story or memory, and have allowed us the honor of walking with his or her spirit. The photo shows our Tribute Wall from a past Walk. We have saved those stories and photos and lovingly bring them with us every time we build that wall. It is in those stories that people connect and share and find hope. Your Warriors are never forgotten but guide us and give us strength.

So as we plan not a Walk this year, but a beautiful Candlelight Vigil in the twilight of November we ask again for you, our Blog Family, to be a part of honoring and remembering and paying tribute to heroes, both animal and human. Share your stories, please, by sending them to the White Dog Army at sehismith@aol.com Help us build a bridge of love and honor that will tell cancer that we WILL win and that its days are numbered.

Thanks for your participation.