When the four of us started on the road to TN to participate in the December 2007 Memphis Marathon Weekend for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, we had no idea what a transformational experience it would turn out to be.
Our ring leader, Kayla, had been involved in fundraising for St. Jude through programs as a student at Otterbein College. Her mother, Linda, was participating in answer to a challenge by Kayla "I'm running the half-marathon, and I'm challenging you to walk it." And two of us (Patsy from Cincinnati and I) agreed to participate to keep each of them company. Not to minimize the effort - we had all trained diligently for our respective events, (walking and running) and between the four of us, we'd raised nearly $5,000 in the process.
We found Memphis to be a town rich with musical history, southern hospitality and mouth-watering barbecue. Taking a pledge to raise at least $1,000 earned the title "St. Jude Hero" and as such we were invited to claim one of 100 available slots to tour the hospital the day before the race.
This is like no hospital any of us had ever seen. The desks in the admitting area are child-sized so that the secretaries appeared to almost be kneeling - the idea being for things to be less intimidating to the little patients. Every wall is colorful with either paint or a mural of some kind. No wheelchairs here - the patients are transported to various tests and therapies on tricycles or are pulled in little wagons. We learned that the hospital has less than 100 beds, because most of the patients stay at Target House (built with funds from Target Stores), the Grizzlies House (for the Memphis Grizzlies NBA team), and the Ronald McDonald House; which all offer apartment-type units for the parents and child to live in to make it feel more like home and less like being in a hospital. And while we were in awe at what the promise of one man (Danny Thomas) was able to achieve, we were at the same time very touched - as at nearly every turn we saw small children wearing protective masks or with no hair from the effects of chemotherapy, playing or making their way to and from treatment. It was a privilege to visit St. Jude as well as an emotional and unforgettable experience.
That night we were invited to a "Heroes Pasta Dinner" at the Forum where a local Memphis newscaster was the M.C., presenting awards for the top individual and team fundraisers. Recipients of these awards ranged from parents whose children had recovered, to a mother who'd lost her child, to a team captained by a young doctor whose daughter had been diagnosed only six weeks prior to the event. The top fundraising team was captained by a worker at St. Jude. A individual top fundraiser award was given to Caitlin, a St. Jude patient who slowly came up to the stage on crutches. "Caitlin," the M.C. explained, "is going to walk the 5K (3.1 miles) tomorrow, and she has pledged to raise a dollar for every step it will take her." If there was a dry eye in the house, I couldn't see it for my own. It was a truly inspiring day and evening and we traveled back down Beale Street amidst the neon club signs feeling very enthusiastic about the race.
The race itself was awesome. The course looped around some beautiful vistas of Memphis including the river, bridge and city skyline, down beautiful tree-lined residential streets and past Sun Studios where Elvis made his first record. Each mile had entertainment, whether a high school band, a guy with a guitar or an Elvis impersonator that not only looked like the King in younger years, but sounded like him, too. As we approached, we thought it was a recording. Each mile ended with water or Powerade served by eager and friendly volunteers and an opportunity to use the portable facilities. The people of Memphis and the families of patients rallied at the roadsides the entire distance of the course, cheering us on and giving encouragement. At mile 7 Linda and I were feeling a bit weary and hurting a bit, and I said aloud, "We've gone 7 miles, and that little girl (Caitlin) is probably still walking her 5K. We can do this."
There were signs everywhere. One had a picture of three adorable little children and the caption: "Thank you for running for our little brother". We had motivation at every turn. Since Linda and I were walking the half marathon and more toward the back of the pack, I wouldn't have expected at the end of mile 11 that there would have been anyone still out on the course in spectator mode, but there was an entire family - husband, wife and children standing at the corner with a sign and as we passed they began cheering. I looked at them and said, "Thanks for coming out." And she said in that great Memphis drawl, "You go, girls! You're lookin' good - you got it now!" And at that moment, we realized that we could do two more miles (or as Linda would point out "two point ONE") with no problem.
And then we got a burst of adrenaline. We began passing people - first some women we'd passed and been passed by several times earlier in the race, and then the next few and the next, until there was nobody between us and the finish, and nobody on our heels. The feeling of entering the stadium was exhilarating. And there were Kayla and Patsy - our runners - cheering for us. Thirteen weeks of walking on the weekends; preparing; the four of us traveling to do this together; having seen the hospital and knowing what the money we raised was going to do - the interaction of all the volunteers and Memphians and St. Jude associates - in that moment came together in an overwhelming rush. It was, for me, one of those truly incredible moments.
As we drove back to Ohio, aching, wearing our medals and sharing our thoughts of the weekend, we decided we would participate again in December of 2008 - only better. We'd form a team and recruit others to join us. We'd host fundraising activities to increase our goal.
So here we are, about to embark on our second campaign for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital - with the ambitious goal of raising $50,000, and you know what?... We're gonna do it!
- Bonnie Caesar