I talk a lot about being grateful on the blog. I am sometimes overwhelmed with all that is good in my life and I know that not everyone is able to say the same thing. I try to show my appreciation and share the wealth. I looked back at my post from last year and it still holds true.
Last year, I said, I could spend days writing about all that I am grateful for and for that I am eternally grateful. The short list includes (but is in no way limited to): the husband, our families, our friends far and near, our good fortune, this blog and all of the awesome people and brands who help me with it, our ability to go to new places and try new things, the fact that the husband and I still crack each other up after all of these years, my health, the husband’s health, our loved ones’ health… And on and on. My heart, like Piglet’s, is full. I wish I could thank each person who touches my heart individually but it would take more than one day. So to everyone reading, thank you! Pass on your thanks to those who make your life more full.
There is one important thing that I shoved in there at the end – Health. I learned this week that my friend, Ivonne, an amazing woman whom I have served as a running guide has a rare cancer. Ivonne lost her site to retinoblastoma when she was 2 years old. That did not stop her. She went on to graduate with a degree in Math from Stanford, to climb Mt Kilimanjaro, to get her MBA, to become a member of the USA Paralympic team… oh, and she won the 2007 visually impaired division of the Boston Marathon in 3:26, too. She has run 14 marathons and has an impressive PR of 3:22. Ivonne is a truly amazing, independent and wonderful person. She also has great sense of humor, balance and patience.
I learned this week that Ivonne was diagnosed with a rare type of Bladder cancer (Leiomyosarcoma). She has gone through chemotherapy over the last couple of months and had uterine and bladder surgery this past Monday at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City. Ivonne’s blog details some of her decision making and trials and tribulations during her treatment since June. Reading her words reminds me of the grace with which she carries herself. I smiled as the tears ran down my face because the writing was so honest and so Ivonne.
So, on this Thanksgiving, I am especially grateful for my health and the health of those I love. I ask you to take a moment to reflect and this and if you can, please consider supporting Ivonne and her family by purchasing a “Blind Athlete Opens World Through Running & Triathlons” bottle opener key chain or making a donation via her site. All of the proceeds will go towards Ivonne’s treatment, surgery, and cancer follow-ups. (They are also looking for airline miles and hotel points, etc.) If that is not possible, I ask for you to keep Ivonne in your thoughts and send her all of the positive vibes you can. You can also send her an email through her website.
Wishing you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving and a happy, healthy holiday season with much to be grateful for. Thank you for reading my blog. It gives me much joy to share my finds with you and I cherish the new connections and friends I have made.