Leading By Helping: The Cancer Walk
Posted by Mitch Mitchell on Jun 16, 2012
Ten years ago today, my dad passed away. Dad has multiple issues, one of which was lung cancer that ended up spreading throughout his body. I've written about that on another blog that will post later today, so I'm taking on a different topic today.
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I talk about leadership all the time, and I try to give tips on being a good leader. Sometimes, being a leader means participating in something in your own way to show how much you care about it. In this case, my friend Scott Thomas lead a team of people in a cancer walk to raise money to fight it. He's got a lot of connections to it. His sister, nephew, his step-father-in-law and then last year his sister in law all passed away from some form of cancer.
I've been touched as well. I already mentioned my dad but my grandmother also had the issue last year. One of my cousins had breast cancer, another aunt passed away from cancer, and my wife's mother passed away from cancer as well. Cancer has no favorites; everyone's at risk in some fashion. Sure, some can be prevented by not adopting some bad habits, but it's not across the board true that if you take care of yourself that nothing will happen.
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So I went last night to offer support to Scott's team. I had already donated some money, and I bought some raffle tickets to win some prizes, which had been donated, with that money also going to cancer research. Last year his team was the top money raising team; this year his team was #2, but that's not bad at all. I even decided to participate in my own way by walking around the track 5 times for them, and I taped myself while I walked:
Everyone who was actually on the team stayed until 6AM this morning. I'm not an outdoors person, and I don't like bugs, so that wasn't happening with me. Still, I was there in spirit, and as you see from the video and a couple of the pictures I've shared, they had enough people there so I wouldn't be missed.
I'm certainly not going to ask you for money. Instead, I'm going to ask you to think about leading in other ways and help some charity in some way. Giving something for others is one of the greatest ways to exhibit leadership skills.
OMG, Mitch, this resonates on so many levels.
1. Cancer, I’m an enemy of this disease — as I am of other chronic diseases. Your points are on point. Healthy eating, exercise, and abstaining tobacco, poor diet choices, and too much alcohol is the best place to start but then what!
2. Relay For Life (Scott’s event) helps to answer that because the funds raised primarily go to research.
3. I’ve lost one of the closest people to me to cancer and vow to do whatever I can, including myself, not to lose another.
4. Last month, I too, participated in a Relay event in which I was the captain like Scott. My team raised almost $10,000 (maybe a little more since the dollars are still trickling in). The whole process was a lot to bear. Actually it was FRUSTRATING! But, so worth it.
It was my first time leading an effort of some sort and today, because of your encouragement, won’t be the last
Thank you.
(I kinda have a lot more to say but I’m pecking on this Kindle Fire….not too easy on my back and eyes — you’d have to see it to understand.)
Kissie, I thank you for this wonderful post. You know, there are just some things that I know I’m not going to overcome, so I do what I can to support others and thus I showed up, gave some love, participated, threw in some cash, then came home. I’ve done other stuff in my past though, including 2 24-hour bowlathon’s that hurt my arms and hands, but at least I did them. But cancer… man, that’s a scary one across the board. I really hope to dodge that one, and if not I at least hope that the money raised helps some. Good for you; you’re the best!
Thanks, bowling sounds fun — and dancing. Hmmm, you’re giving me ideas for next year’s campaign. 🙂
Kissie, that’s my role in life. 😉
The American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk is a powerful and inspiring event that unites communities to celebrate people who have battled breast cancer, raise awareness about ways to help prevent breast cancer, and raise money to find cures and support programs and services for those facing the disease. The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event is as unique and special as the story that motivates everyone who participates. Each step you take is personal, and together we are helping create a world with less breast cancer and more birthdays.