Light the Night Walk - LLS

On October 8th, this happening in Portland:

Joe and I will be at a wedding that day for our friends Natalie & Nic (and their lovely daughter River), but my oncology care team at Compass has a team walking.  Here is their blurb: 

"Compass Oncology will walk for a 17th year in Portland's Light the Night.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Light The Night Walk helps support the research of blood cancer treatments that save lives, as well as other programs.

We are grateful for the support LLS provides patients including information, financial assistance, and help with other pressing needs. Please join our Compass Oncology team effort today by registering to walk or by making a donation 

http://pages.lightthenight.org/oswim/PortlndL16/compassoncology. 

Compass will celebrate our survivors, remember those lost to blood cancers and raise money for LLS at this event that starts at the Oregon Convention Center. An amazing fireworks show is planned. There is no registration fee to participate. 

We hope that you can join our team on October 8
.  If you donate $100.00 you will receive an Olive Garden dinner, LTN t-shirt and a lantern to carry during the walk.  Enjoy fireworks & entertainment along the noncompetitive walk." 

There is a Facebook page for this event, with many comments.  Some of the walkers are  folks who are survivors themselves, who are in remission or cured.  Some of the walkers are walking in remembrance of family or friends whom they've lost.  Some of the comments about those lost are so sad;  young people that were in remission and the cancer returned, without response to treatment.  Here is one that hit me hard:

"My dear 22 year old son Jeffrey was laid to rest yesterday from complications related to treatment for his ALL. Such a shock as he was in remission. We have asked all our friends and family to make a donation to LLS in his honor. We had planned to do the walk this year, but it will be too painful. Next year, we are in for sure."

I am feeling reasonably good, and sometimes forget that this is cancer.  I am so hopeful for remission, and know that my type of lymphoma will re-appear, who knows when?  I'm getting ahead of myself - one day at a time.  I first have to deal with this occurrence.  

One of the things you do when you have cancer is internet research.  This can be good or bad.  With cancer, you will inevitably find survival statistics.  For my cancer, there is the Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (Doctors have developed the Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (FLIPI) specifically for this type of lymphoma.)  

The study used to develop the FLIPI produced the following survival rates:

Risk group	5-year survival rate	10-year survival rate
Low-risk	91%	71%
Intermediate-risk	78%	51%
High-risk	53%	36%

I am in the low-risk group for now, so my stats are good, but this can change.  It is still a bit weird to even consider a table of survival rates.  But I could also get hit by a bus tomorrow.  In any case, it is occasionally good for one to contemplate one's own death, and figure out how to live...now...and each day.  This brings some sharp focus to one's life, for sure.   

So, here's to weddings, and walks, and life!  

As a Cancer (July 22), I like this: