My Special Friend in Greene County

I’m not available during the first Saturday morning in May. That date and time is taken – and will always be as long as I reside her in western Pennsylvania. During that date, you will always find me in Waynesburg, Greene County hosting the opening ceremonies for the Relay for Life. The cancer-awareness fundraiser brings the whole community together to celebrate life, make people aware of this illness and raise funds in the race for a cure. I got involved five years ago – and made a very special friend in the process.

She is now the reason I go back each and every year. I go back to see her smiling face and catch up on the past year. I go because she is a beacon of hope in the fight against cancer and a motivating force for me to live my life to the fullest.

Above Photo: Christina is right of me in this photo and next to her is her mom.

When I first met Christina Lahew, she was just eight years old – and a cancer survivor. There are some things young people should never have to experience — and cancer is one of those things. She not only beat the disease, she now offers hope as the ambassador for Greene County in the annual relay. Each year, we look forward to seeing each other and talking about what has happened in our lives – although I am much more interested in Christina.

She is now 13 – and taking part in track and field. While I have watched her grown, she still has that smile she had at age eight. Her parents have also become part of this annual reunion and they tell me she is so happy that she has become my friend. I feel the same way.

I hope we will always be close – and I hope someday she will understand what her courage has meant to me as well as those in her community who look to her for inspiration every May. That’s why I go back to Waynesburg every first Saturday morning in May. I have a picture of us, but this blogger program is not letting me load pictures into the blog today so I will show you some pictures tomorrow.