"Why I Relay" by Cathy10 Longoria

Hi there, my name is Cathy10 Longoria.

 

I'm participating in the Second Life 2014 Relay For Life.

I am a proud member of "Harmony of Hope".

I relay in honor of myself as a recent cancer survivor, my father who is currently fighting lymphoma, and my "Fabulous 5" co-workers.

I have colleagues and friends who fought and won their battle with cancer.

 

 

This is my first year participating in RFL in SL and Committee.
I have relayed for real world relay events, but never took it seriously until 2013.
My personal battle with thyroid cancer was temporary, but I will have a few minor challenges for the rest of my life. I am glad their is a cure for thyroid cancer.

My father has lymphoma and his battle began in March, 2013. I walk alongside him in his journey with the rest of my family.

My mother is his caregiver and was involved in every step of my journey. She, along with other caregivers, are amazing. My admiration for her magnified ten-fold for her strength to help her daughter through cancer and now her husband in less than three years.

During my time with cancer, four of my co-workers fought their battle with cancer. We are known as the "Fabulous 5". One lost her battle with cancer and the rest of us won our battles.

I relay in honor of myself as a recent cancer survivor, my father who is currently fighting lymphoma, and my "Fabulous 5" co-workers.

I am also the Area Lead for Sponsorships on the Public Relations Committee for Relay for Life in Second Life. Donations and sponsorships are much appreciated...good way to put your Why I Relay? into action.

"Those who have suffered, understand suffering, and therefore extend their hand."

Cathy10 Longoria

Survivor~Caregiver~Fabulous Five

CELEBRATE

REMEMBER

FIGHT BACK

Why I Relay by TS Darrow

This is my 7th year of relaying in Second Life.

I relay because this Journey of Promise is not over.

I will continue the fight until no one ever has to hear the words "you have cancer".

I relay for those who cannot and for every hero who lost their battle.

I proudly relay with my team Harmony of Hope.

I am also honored to relay with my strong spirited wife who is my inspiration.

We will fight until there is a cure!

TS DARROW
Co Captain Harmony of Hope

CELEBRATE

REMEMBER

FIGHT BACK

 

Harmony of Hope~ 17,000 page views and going strong!

HARMONY OF HOPE 2014

We're back!

Welcome to Harmony of Hope 2014

We are a Relay for Life of Second Life team raising money for The American Cancer Society.
This is Harmony of Hope's 7th year. From March to July, we hold fund raisers to earn money for our teams. Each and every Linden is sent directly to the American Cancer Society to fund research, programs, services and to help find a cure!

This is my first year as Captain. Random Darrow has been our amazing Captain for the last 6 years. She is still a huge part of relay, serving as Co-Chair for Relay for Life of Second life. She will be helping to lead all of the teams through our incredible season this year. She's the reason I'm part of this great group of volunteers. She has taught me and led me to where I am today. I'm incredibly proud and excited for her. I'm honored to call her my friend!

This will be my 6th year relaying. When I was first told about relay I was so happy to be part of something that will eventually wipe out cancer. Both my grandparents died of cancer, both my uncles and in April 2012 I lost my mother.

I'm in this for the long haul.

I will fight to the end.

I relay for my family, my children, their children and my friends.

I relay for those who fought and won, those still fighting, and those we lost.

Until there is a cure...We RELAY!

Dianna Wycliffe
Harmony of Hope Captain

~ OMG ~

Thursday, 16 June 2011

Mega Challenge
OK here's the deal.

Relay for Life of Second Life fund raising Season of Hope is 30 day from being over. I see that amazing total we have done and I am stunned to see it top $200,000 USD all ready. ~WoW~

So my little challenge is this, several people including ours truly, will go BALD and more until the start of next year's Relay For Life of Second Life season for 2012

IF

we manage to raise $325,000 USD this year in this last month in this Season of Hope.

Here's what we have committed:
Jacqueline Brianna Bald until RFL2012
Vickie A. Maidstone Bald until RFL2012
Rose Dreadlow Bald until RFL2012
Tahisha Fairplay will give up fur for human until RFL2012
Jennifer Curtau will go Bald and give up Neko for human until RFL2012


Sunday, 10 July 2011 (today)

Jacqueline, Vivkie, Rose, Tahisha and I, are sitting delightfully, nervously, at this years outstanding efforts by everyone, and wondering how this week will end,....

6 days until Relay,

Grand total so far $288,000 US

Bless you all.

Relay Schedule

Well I cannot believe how fast these last 4 months have gone, but here we are, 11 days until WE The People of Second Life, will Relay For Life, on July 16-17th.

Everyone busy with these preparations and the buzz is truly amazing. Builders are going crazy building their teams campsite, and everyone getting their last RFL events completed for what is the climax of these last 4 months.

Everyone secretly wondering what this years total will be, and SO AM I.

SO, if you haven't seen the ACS RFL of SL web site this week, you might want to take a peek at the total raised so far. Last year we raised $222,000 US funds for RFL. On Monday (with 12 days to go) the total was updated for this year and the unofficial total now sits at $225,384 US funds!!!! WooooT!

This alone is an amazing testament to the 100's of teams and the 1,000's of volunteers.

Anyhow, here is the hour by hour laps, being planned for Relay Weekend

Jennifer Curtau

10am - 11am  - Opening Ceremonies

11am - 12:30pm - CELEBRATE - Survivor/Caregiver Honor Walk  - Survivors Are the "Spirit Of Relay" They Are the Promise Of Hope! Please Line the Track and Celebrate Our Heroes, Our Friends who have heard the words "You Have Cancer"

The Caregivers are the Backbone of the Fight. They hold the hands, they care for and support their loved ones as they walk their cancer journey. Once again Line the Track and Support the Ones who give so much to help our Survivors Fight Cancer!

12:30pm - 2pm - Team Spirit Lap - Teams R Us!  Team Shirts and banners. Walk the track with pride for all you have done to help find a cure for cancer.

2pm - 3pm  - Purrfect Pets - Sponsored by KittyCats - Wear animal print, neko ears, tails or even be an animal or furry avatar! Dress as your favorite pet or animal!

3pm - 4pm -  I Cannot Believe I'm Wearing This! - Wear something you normally wouldn't  wear in SL. Would never admit to being a Furry? Don a furry avatar. Wouldn't wear latex *ever*? Bring it on! Wouldn't be caught out in curlers and slippers? Wear it!  Not a girly girl? Wear frills!  Not a surfer dude? Put on that long blonde hair and swim trunks!

4pm - 5pm - Ride Your Favorite Horse - Sponsored by Amaretto - Ride your favorite horse, wear your horse avatar or bring on the stick ponies.  We're riding for Relay!

5pm - 6pm - Beach Party (Summer) - Bring out your beach clothes, go barefoot, don’t forget those water bottles and sunscreen.

6pm - 7pm - Fall Fashion (Fall)  - Wear those autumn colors or that Halloween costume.  You could even be a Thanksgiving Turkey!

7pm - 8pm - Winter Nights (Winter) - Dress for those cold winter nights, don’t forget the hot chocolate with marshmallows

8pm - 9pm - Spring Fling (Spring)- the season for flowers, new beginnings, and proms.

9pm - 10pm - REMEMBER - Luminaria Ceremony -  ( quiet reflection with readings and inspirational music; sims are darkened for reflection and remembrance of those and their loved ones who have lost their battles to cancer or are still battling it; all are invited to participate ) Walk the track in silence.

10pm - 11pm - The Power of Purple - wear as much purple as you can. ..skin, hair, eyes, clothing, .. just bring on the purple!

11pm - 12am - Favorite Sport -  football, baseball, rugby, hockey, swimming, cheerleading.. just  any sports attire.  Don your favorite jersey or uniform and bring that Relay spirit.

12am- 1am - Midnight Masquerade - Wear a Masque and costume and join the  carnival like festivity hour.

1am - 2am - Silly Hats -- The name says it all

2am - 3am - Appearance Slider Outfits - Wear only looks you make yourself in appearance. 

3am - 4am - Favorite Decade - Did you love the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's or maybe way back to the 40's or  the flappers or the roaring 20s?   Dress in your favorite decade outfit and show it on the track

4am - 5am - Health Matters - Maybe you are a banana, or an orange, or a carrot? Or simply dress in a healthy food color. Eating right, being active, and maintaining a healthy weight are important ways to reduce your risk of cancer.

5am - 6am - Up All Night - Curlers, Coffee, PJ's & Slippers - time to wake up and smell the coffee

6am - 7am - FIGHT BACK - Fight Back Ceremony - (Pick up your specially made RFL HOPE Cape and Fight Back Flags - available at the Relay Stations,  and join us as we make our fight back pledges to save a life this year -your own, a friends, a family member, or someone you don't even know yet.  Together we all can FIGHT BACK.

7am - 8am - Fantasy Themed - Fantasy Characters - Dragons, Pirates, Star Trek,   Fairies, Elves...  Fantasy themed avatars, Medieval, Tinies, Mermaids & Mermen, Wings

8am - 9am - International Lap - Wear your countries flag.. (provided by the International Committee or outfits that represent your country.

9am - 10am - Formal Hour - Wear your best as  you walk the final lap before Closing Ceremonies.  Formal attire.  Try to keep prims to a minimum, please.

10am-11am - Closing Ceremony

11am - NOON -VICTORIOUS! 'Take THAT, Cancer' LAP - Walk the track and meet the Relay Committee.  Celebrate YOUR Relay!

A Special introduction

Hello again,

Things are getting busier; lot's going on in my real life and especially with Relay For Life of Second Life.

Hope you are checking the event listing and information boards around the grid, hitting those events and giving often and generously. I know I've been broke since Relay started. Even had to borrow some Lindens from a friend to cover my rent this week!! Woopsies!

I wish to introduce someone to you, he's a very dear friend of mine in real life, I've know him all my life and we've traveled the road of life together, for a very long time. He's been my best friend, big brother ever since I've known him in school, and someone I could always count on in times of need. Even thought we parted ways at times, we never lost contact with each other, and always share each other lives and interest.

Well, since I've found myself in Relay For Life of Second Life and my sharing with him my discoveries, he's grown curious about what Second Life is all about, so he's joined us in world. But not only that, he wants to help me Relay, because we share similar friends and interwoven families, we’ve been each other caregiver’s support person to almost the same survivor group of people, and so I have invited him to co-author with me on our site.

I HOPE you welcome him warmly, as he's one of those amazing people and I am so glad to have him in my real life and now Second Life, he has big shoulders, a warm heart, caring and compassionate, and there's more than enough of him to go around.

Let me introduce you to my dear friend, Bain Finch of Second Life.

Jennifer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Greetings and thanks Jenni for those lovely words.

WoW, after several days of solid exploring this new (new to me) virtual world, I AM HOOKED. I still have the words from Aldous Huxley's sci-fi novel "Brave New World" ringing through my mind. I have ton of exploring to do, but seeing the size of this place, it could be a life long hobby.

I’ve know the typist of the avatar, that is Jennifer Curtau since we were both in high school, way back when. Right from the start we connected, and didn’t take long for both of us to realize we had a special connection to each other. We had one of those connections, that was more than friendship, more than family, and way beyond lovers and we knew how special that was.

I remember the day she heard, her dad found to have colon cancer. She could hardly talk to me over the phone. My boss was sitting across from me in the same room as I took the call and was quick to gather what was going. I hung up the phone and before I had had a chance to digest the call and he calmly said to me, “WTF are you still doing here? Get going!” I flew home, gathered a travel bag and drove the 2-1/2 drive to her parent’s home in record time. I found her there, putting on one of those “brave faces” one tend to wear, when ones find themselves as a virgin cancer caregiver, but everyone knows, you have not remotely come to terms this. We hugged, I when on to hug and talked to her parents as I knew she was slipping out, to loose it in private. Her mom knew it too. She turn to me and said “Were OK, go to her”.

We cried buckets that afternoon, and we talked, and we talked, and we cried some more. After some long moments of silence, she looked into my eyes, and calmly said, "Well I guess I gonna get an education about cancer” and that what she did. Jenni one of those people that when she sets her mind on path and focuses her effort on something, she goes after it in an almost obsessive way.

Long story made short, her dad had a picture prefect operation, an excellent treatment series, and spotless follow up. 20 years on, and he’s still clean, and still with us. But in those 20 years, since we both became indoctrinated into the family-hood of cancer caregivers, we have both lost several mutual friends to cancer, we’ve both lost cousins, aunts and uncles in our respective families and we also celebrate the victories with many more cancer survivors.

So here is Jennifer, 20 years later, doing Relay For Life of Second Life, a team member in Relay and committee member giving her all, and knowing Jenni’s typist as I do, she wouldn’t have it any other way. She’s a force to be reckoned with.

Myself, I’ve always gave to the Cancer Society’s various fund drives they have, but always wondered if I could contribute in some more substantial fashion. With limited options due, to the size of this small community I live and work in, discovering, or should I say, having my dear friend discover the effort going on here in this place called Second Life, I just had to sign up and walk along side my friend of life.

I look forward in kicking this beast called cancer, senseless.

Bain Finch

Why I Relay ~ Aiyana Orchid

I Relay because I’m 31 years old and have had to fight off this awful disease 2 times. I relay because I don’t want another 27 year old told, who has her whole life in front of her and that of her 5 year son come crumbling down. The moment I heard that I thought for sure it would be the end... It's almost happened...But I am a fighter... and I have a strong will to live. I have great family and friends and an the awesome support of people like you all who help to find a cure for this..

It's about 1:30 my time and I just found out my best friend of 10 years just lost her battle with cancer. How do I feel? I'm beside myself in one count; in the other relieved she isn't suffering anymore and quite fueled to continue helping out with Relay for Life.... We had an agreement her and I...Fight until you can't anymore... For awhile it seems we were both winning... I had mine under control, she had hers... We pretty much held hands and went through all of it together.. It's rare that you find that.... Here I am now in remission and her... she couldn't fight anymore... So in her words...." Thank you all so very much for all that you do... for those of us that fight and loose this battle we know that you will still be there on the battle lines fighting to end this horrible disease. We will be there with you now and always cheering you on and giving you the extra push you need.".... Hence my reason for fighting no matter how hard the road may or may not get for me... Until my last breath I will continue to fight so no one has to hear those words.... and if they do they are followed by "we have a cure for that"... these are my reasons for Relaying... What's yours?

Aiyana Orchid

Why Random Padar Relays

WHY I RELAY

I am a fortunate one.  I do not have cancer in my family history. My parents nor siblings have died from cancer.   I do however have a close friend that passed from breast cancer but she lived many miles away from me and I didn't have to see her fight for her life.  My second year in SL I fell in love with a man who was a caregiver for his mother.  I was introduced to RFL and decided this is the one thing I can DO to support him and his mother.  My very first year of Relay left a huge impression on me.  The testimonies of those fighting this terrible disease, the passion to find a cure, the emotional stories of survival and loss has made me even more determined to fight this battle along side my partner and friends.  This is my 4th year Relaying in SL.  My 3rd year as captain of Harmony of Hope.  I will continue to work and  do the best I can to help bring an end to this cancer.

Random Padar
Care Giver - Fighter - Captian of Team Harmony of Hope-SL-ACS-RFL
                                     (¯`v´¯)
                       *:-.,_,.-:*'´ `*.¸.*´`'*:-.,_,.-:*

                                  GO RELAY!!! 

Why Caramel Luminos Relays

I relay for my father, who lost his battle.
I relay for my RL fiance, who won his battle.
I relay for those that fight every day.
I relay for those that cannot relay.
I relay for the past, present & future.
I relay until there is a cure.

Caramel Luminos
Care Giver - Fighter - Member of Team Harmony of Hope-SL-ACS-RFL
                                     (¯`v´¯)
                       *:-.,_,.-:*'´ `*.¸.*´`'*:-.,_,.-:*

                                  GO RELAY!!! 

Why Tee Auster Relays

First of all, my Mother died of ovarian cancer. It came out of nowhere. In addition to the cancer she died in surgery of a heart attack and stroke. She was my best friend and it was the hardest lost I’ve ever taken.

I am in a leadership position in Education. What is one of the first things a person does when they or their family member has a life threatening diagnosis? They go and tell their boss. I can tell the the look.  I have closed my door and cried endless tears with colleagues I know very well or hardly know at all. I have lived and am living through the disease with those in my organization….and every time it goes back to the feelings I experienced with the loss of my mother.

You need to know, not everyone can do this work. Yes, it is a celebration of life, survivors and caregivers  but for many involved in the process for themselves or others, it is too new, too fresh. This is the compassionate aspect of the work that we do in SL and in RL. Be mindful of this.

Last Spring, I lost my adopted father to lung cancer on my RL Birthday. Once again it came out nowhere. It was so hard on my family…too new, too fresh. The one year anniversary will be on Easter this year and it will be bittersweet.

For me Relay For Life is a practice of compassion in action. I am very proud to be on the Harmony of Hope Team, the greatest team in SL!!!! This year I am also a Co Captain in RL. Go Relay!!!! Go Harmony of Hope!!! We can make a difference!!!


Tee Auster
Care Giver - Fighter - Member of Team Harmony of Hope-SL-ACS-RFL
                                     (¯`v´¯)
                       *:-.,_,.-:*'´ `*.¸.*´`'*:-.,_,.-:*

                                  GO RELAY!!! 

The tears of angels, Jennifer's adventure so far,...

I am 50 years old in real life. I'm a cancer "caregiver" which is defined as someone who has supported someone whom is a cancer "survivor", defined as someone who has been told they have cancer. My father successfully beat his fight 20 years ago and is still here with me today. However, I also have lost family and friends to this beast, along the way.

I was rez'd in Second Life, back in December 2009 and was friended by a warm and wonderful person and sim owner, took me in, who showed me the wonders of SL. I soon found a position as hostess for a small club, were I host parties every Saturday mornings.

She introduced me to another amazing person named Jade Marenwolf (RIP my angel) who taught me how to face life head on. When she told me about her RL situation and her fight with Inflammatory Breast Cancer, I told her I would do what I could and asked my club members, to pray for her, and to send her their strength, to her, for her fight for life. In so doing, I was touched and friended by another beautiful angel, whom is in a fight of her own. Her strength and resolve, tugged at my heart strings some more.

These individuals and several others opened my eyes to some of the struggles, people in SL are facing in their real life, and I began to look around SL for help and solutions. I found a group called "Project Hope" who has created a place and association with other sim's with similar goals to bring people together for the simple reason of mutual support, understanding and healing from life's struggles.

Through this group, I found many more, wonderful places and people, with similar goals for their fellow person. One of these places was A Woman's  Touch. Through AWT, found another lovely angel, who introduced me to the Relay for Life in Second Life.

I was so impressed with their mandate; I had to join the effort and volunteered to be a member of RFL Harmony of Hope. Within the first moments of the first meeting last weekend, was ask to undertake the role of Social Media promoter for the group and attacked this with all my resources and abilities. I guess my group leader was so impressed with my abilities and drive, asked me to join and work with the PR/Marketing group of the Relay for Life team, which is where I stand today.

Looking back at how I got to where I am, I see a clear lineage of people and places, to numerous to list, that shaped my virtual world and change me in my real life. I truly believe Jade is watching down on me, and I hope to do good by her.

I do this for all my dear friends in RL and in SL. I do this for people I do not know and who are all fighting this demon of life called Cancer. I do this because I can.

We all know one person can make a difference.

In numbers, this force is unstoppable.

Join me in Relay for Life in Second Life.

Join me in Relay for Life in the real world.

Together, WE WILL make a difference.

Jennifer Curtau

Why Pink Relays

I am a two-time survivor of cancer.

People assume this is the reason I relay. It is not the only reason.

I relay because I remember Patricia O'Hara, a fiest, 5'1" tall, irish woman in her late 50s sitting across from me as we got our chemo treatments. Pat... old-fashioned catholic irish with two grown kids, sat there and told me to fight this. We both were diagnosed with the same cancer, both getting the same treatments, only she was loosing her third battle with it. This was during my first battle that i sat across from this woman that had a life, kids, a home, a job, friends, and family.

I relay because of Pat, and for Dawnlee Gamboa who lost her battle on 7 Febuary, 2011. Dawnlee was an SL player, a member of the Spirit nations sim, and a fighter.

I asked Dawnlee's permission just hours before she passed, to have the honor of carrying her name in the Survivors' Walk on Relay day. I am honored and proud to say she gave me that gift, before she left us to carry on the fight.

 Dawnlee was 6 years younger than I am right now. She died from Pancreatic Cancer, and her family was with her on that day. Please send your thoughts and prayers to her family in Chicago, Illinois, so they may find the courage to carry on in her stead.

There are thousands upon thousands of reasons to relay... and thousands of excuses not to... you only need one reason to pull on your walking shoes and step out your door... choose one, and come Relay for Life with Me and the other survivors that need you so desperately.

For all those that stand beside me in the Survivors' Walk, for all those that came before us, and will come after us... Thank you.

Pink Charlesworth 
Surivor - Fighter - Member of Team Harmony of Hope-SL-ACS-RFL
                                     (¯`v´¯)
                       *:-.,_,.-:*'´ `*.¸.*´`'*:-.,_,.-:*

                                  GO RELAY!!!

Why Jennifer Relays

Jennifer waves hello ♥  =^,^=

I relay for the simple reason I am 50 years old in RL,... I am a "Caregiver" in both RL and SL, countless times over,... and have this strong desire to do what I can to help.  ♥

Second Life brings so many people together, from so many places, into a very special family, and a very unique community.

Throughout my journey through this magical land call Second Life, I have discovered the power of hope this land brings, to so many people in their real lives. It has given me a new lease in my real world life.

This journey also introduced me to wonderful people, doing incredible things. One of the people (Pink) opened my eyes to the Relay of Life in Second Life.

    ~ We all know, one person can make a difference. ~
 ~ Can't you just imagine what a whole world could do! ~
     ~ Let it be this world, that makes that difference! ~

                                     (¯`v´¯) 
                       *:-.,_,.-:*'´ `*.¸.*´`'*:-.,_,.-:*
                                  GO RELAY!!!