Good things come to those who wait. Isn't that how the saying goes? Or does that only apply to ketchup?
Or, no, Guinness! Yeah... that's the one I was thinking of.
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| Yeah, that's the one. Mmmm, Guinness. Much more fitting for St. Patrick's Day, too. |
Anyway, tonight I wanted to make a point of thanking everyone who has reached out to me in the last month. I have gotten so many emails, Facebook messages, and IMs from far-reaching friends, family, long-lost acquaintances, and even a few from complete strangers. Some have expressed appreciation for all of the work that has gone into this campaign, especially writing this blog. Others are touched by my willingness to go so far as to shave my head to champion this cause. Some expressed regret at not really knowing what was truly going on in my life while this was happening, or how to support me during Stephen's illness. And still others shared their personal experiences with cancer -- as patients, as survivors, or in remembrance of the loved ones that they have lost. I treasure every kind word that each you has written, and plan to file them all away together somewhere where I can pull them out on gray days.
Just today, I received an amazing letter from an old friend. I mentioned him in this post. My first exposure to St. Baldrick's, and my inspiration. I never knew the story behind Ian's involvement until this afternoon. He has granted permission for me to share it here:
Howdy Kathleen!
Do I remember you? Of course I remember you! You birthed my glorious bartending career which culminated only a year ago when I graduated from CU.
I was initially surprised to hear that you were inspired by my St. Baldricks fund raising back in 2006, but after reading your blog and learning about Stephen it made a little more sense. I thought I would share why I was inspired to participate 5 years ago.
Back in the summer of '94 when I was in between my Junior and Senior year of high school I became close friends with Kelley Roswell. She was someone whom I had known since Jr. high and we had mutual friends but never really hung out with each other. She was the star athlete/student council type and I was the insecure cocky jock type (I KNOW, hard to believe RIGHT?). We connected over the summer due to our both breaking up with our respective boyfriend and girlfriend. We quickly became best friends and have remained so for the last 17 years. I stood in her wedding in '99 and she stood in mine in '02.
If there is anything that I can say about Kelley is that she is and has always been the most driven person I have ever met. She aced high school while playing four sports and the tuba in band, graduated from CU in four years on academic scholarships and went straight to medical school in Minnesota where she finished in the top of her class. Now, everybody knows someone who is just naturally a gifted overachiever, people who work half as hard as you do and somehow do twice as well. Kelley has never been one of these people. Kelley simply works harder than anybody else is willing. Period. She is tenacious, disciplined, and tireless. She has bled for everything she has achieved.
This unflagging work ethic stems from Kelley's battle with childhood cancer. She was diagnosed with ALL or Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia when she was in the 5th grade. Kelley's fight with this disease lasted over three years and consisted of weekly trips from Grand Junction, CO where we grew up, 4 hours over the mountains to Denver Children's Hospital to receive radiation treatments and spinal taps, multiple weeks at the Ronald McDonald House here in Denver for chemotherapy, shortly after which she relapsed in the 6th grade and was forced to begin the radiation therapy again and received a second round of chemotherapy.
When I met Kelley in the 8th grade she had been in remission for about a year. She was already determined to become a pediatric oncologist at the Children's Hospital to help kids fighting cancer just as the staff at Children's had helped her.
Fast forward to today, Kelley runs the Emergency Department at the Denver Children's Hospital. After residency she realized that she was more suited to Emergency Medicine than oncology (the smell of chemo drugs held too much bad nostalgia) and did a three year fellowship to become an Emergency Pediatrician. Hand on my heart, she literally saves kids lives on a daily basis and I can't think of anyone else I have more respect for.
So in 2006, I raised money through St. Baldricks and shaved my head partly in honor of my friend Kelley as well as my Mom who battled breast cancer back in '99 while I was in the Navy. It seemed like a small gesture only before I attended the event at the Boulder Theatre. It was a truly moving experience sitting there with my Mom, Kelley, and her daughter Logan listening to the stories of true heroics performed by everyday normal people. People like your brother and your family. Shaving the hair off my head in a room surrounded by these people was easy.
So I salute you Kathleen! It's an amazing event and an amazing organization and my donation is on its way. Incidentally, after both standing in each other's respective weddings, we similarly supported each other through our respective divorces, and in June of 2009 Kelley and I married each other, easily making me the happiest, luckiest dude on the planet. Hands down.
I wish all the best for you and your family!
ian capps
How incredible is that? See, not only does curing childhood cancer save the children themselves -- it allows them to go on to become heroes in their own right. And the love of someone's life.
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| Ian's St. Baldrick's "before" photo |
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| And Ian's "after!" |
Tonight's updates:
Donation total: $4407 (still not including the matching funds in the ether)
Yes, shave it! = 239
No, just a trim! = 202
Only three weeks left to "talk me out of it" if you're so inclined!
This experience, from the beginning, has been about so much more than the bottom-line end result dollar amount that I raise. It has been about raising awareness and making connections, and rekindling friendships. Please keep the personal messages coming, if you are moved to do so. I thrive on them!
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| Love to all! |
See the blog post on "Binary Voting" for details on how to vote for or against my head shave!
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