Why Do I Walk?

These are stories from Walk for Bladder Cancer organizers who are just like you – they or a loved one was affected by bladder cancer, and they chose to make a difference by getting involved with BCAN and walking.  To learn more about walking, please visit our walk page. If you would like to share your story, email Laura at lprigoff@bcan.org.

In May of 2002, my husband was diagnosed and had surgery for Bladder Cancer. When Jack was first diagnosed, it was a cancer that was foreign to us. We had never heard of anyone having this cancer and I had a very difficult time finding any information about Bladder Cancer. Eventually, I came across the website for BCAN. At that time, I made a promise to Jack that I would do volunteer work for BCAN. My beloved Jack passed away on March 13, 2008. Since then, I have been doing volunteer work for BCAN, contacting urologists in different states and sending them handbooks about Bladder Cancer. My goal is to help others so that what happened to Jack, may not have to happen to someone else.

I am organizing and walking for Bladder Cancer to help make people aware of this disease. And, by the looks of things, there will be more people walking this year than there was last year. It looks like the word is spreading. Hopefully, with more awareness there will be more funding and more research, which could lead to a cure!!!! When I meet Jack in heaven, would love to tell be able to him that there is a cure for Bladder Cancer!

– Mary Ann Aregood

Everyone walking for bladder cancer has their story. Ours began two years ago when at 28 years old, Jamie was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Bladder cancer was something we had barely heard of, and certainly something we knew nothing about. Through the help of the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, we were able to get the information, support, and help we needed to get through this challenging time.

We were honored to be selected to co-chair the National Walk for the Washington D.C. area. We will be walking to raise money for the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN) and their programs supporting bladder cancer research and education. There are far to many stories such as ours, and we are looking to give back to this wonderful organization so that others can be aware of this disease and progress will me made towards prevention and treatments.

–Jamie and Andrea Gillespie

My first walk benefiting BCAN was held October, 2011, just six months after my husband passed away from metastatic bladder cancer. I made a promise to him in his final days, vowing to do my part to fight this dreaded disease in his memory.  At that time many people asked if I planned on making this an annual event, and quite honestly, I had no idea where my life would lead me and was struggling to find my “new normal”.

I now have had several months to learn how to come to terms with my broken dreams, battered hope and lost purpose, and it still proves to be an everyday challenge.  I can truthfully say that being involved in National Bladder Cancer Awareness Day has again given me “purpose”.   I am continually overwhelmed by the kindness, generosity and support of so many people, and it is only with this that I move forward day by day, step by step.  Getting involved not only helps to heal yourself, it helps to fund the needed research to heal someone else.  So please – GET INVOLVED.

– Marge Coffin

When Janet asked me to have my own walk I was scared of such a big undertaking. Then I thought of my 75 yr old mother, fighting for her life. I was ashamed actually at myself for thinking it was a big thing. Nothing is bigger than fighting for your life. So that is why it is important for me to do something positive as regards bladder cancer. this time I am on the winning side of the disease. I hope to educate others at my walk the way I was educated. I hope to support others the way I was shown support. I hope to raise funds for more research so that others can have the blessings my family has experiences. I thank BCAN for being there.

– Doug Page

I walk to raise awareness for Bladder Cancer because I want others to know they are not alone when receiving the diagnosis. When I heard about the BCAN’s walk last year, I wanted to be a participant in the St. Louis Metropolitan area. Unfortunately no one had organized a walk. After some thought, I realized if I really wanted to raise awareness, I could not just sit back and wait for someone else. I walked last year in honor of my husband and successfully pulled people together. Even though my husband passed away last fall, I still feel a strong need to continue what I started last year.

– Janet Copley

Bladder Cancer Awareness has become an important journey in my life. During my husband’s battle with Bladder Cancer and since his passing, my eyes were opened even wider to the fact that Bladder Cancer is not the type of cancer you hear about very often and there is a lack of awareness in the nation and lack of information available to the public. I wanted to change that. Organizing a walk in 2011 and again this year for National Bladder Cancer Awareness Day is allowing me to raise awareness in my community. The overwhelming support received by family, friends and the community in the 2011 walk touched my life greatly as well as provided BCAN with a generous donation. Knowing that I will be walking with thousands of other walkers across the nation on May 5th comforts me in knowing that Bladder Cancer IS becoming a more recognized disease.

–Debbie DeAngeles