Portland's Purple Stride Walk for G'ma

Last year when my mom was recovering from her Whipple surgery, the Portland Purple Stride walk for Pancreatic Cancer took place in Portland.  I remember talking with her about it.  It was one of those things that only when something comes into your life, do you take notice.  But since this was her cancer,  we said that next year we would walk it.  Unfortunately,  she wasn't here to do just that...so we carried on with the plan.

The name of our team was Shortchanged Cheryl.  She was shortchanged by this cancer.  Our team raised nearly $3000.00 which goes directly to helping families/patients who are fighting this disease.  Thank you to friends and families that supported us!

 The night before the walk, we had dinner at Mark and Claudine's new house.  The cousins worked on posters for the walk.  I tried to help them, but saying that it would be good to  write some sort of catchy phrase, like "Our Grandma was shortchanged!" or "Walking  for Whipple Warriors."  But of course, they didn't take any of those suggestions..they came  up with their own.  Maybe it was the wine, or just feeling punchy by the end of the week on a Friday night, but we (the grown ups) got a serious case of the giggles at some of  the 'catchy' phrases they created.  Good stuff.  G'ma would have been cracking up, too.

Nate and Chris painting purple ribbons at the event. 

 Cotter girls in the home stretch across the Hawthorne Bridge. 

 We miss Grandma.

Karen and Dick striding right along. 

 Chris having fun with his cousins.

 Will, Asa, Mark, Dan, and Maria.  What a great day for a walk in our beautiful city!

The Cousins.  I just love how much they all love each other.

Susie on the Hawthorne Bridge.  A beautiful rainbow appeared as we neared the finish line.  I think that it was from all of the pancreatic cancer people up in the heavens saying thank-you~especially G'ma.

Good times. 

Since Cheryl couldn't be there, I walked in her shoes.  Literally.

These were the sneakers that she got prior to surgery so that she could do lots of walking during recovery.  They had purple accents and fit my feet perfectly.  The only thing better would have been if she was the one wearing them today.