Survivors at the Summit

For four years, my family has attended the annual Survivors at the Summit event hosted at the Snowbird resort by the Cancer Wellness House. It's a fundraiser for the CWH with a pancake breakfast and then an incredibly arduous hike to the Hidden Summit, where they have a ceremony each year at the top. Whether we've hiked or ridden the tram to the top, it's been a a wonderful way for us to come together as a family and show our support for my dad and feel the support and love of other families who also deal with cancer.

This year, my mom had shirts made for us so we could look a little more like a unified team. On the front, they had a little Survivor's at the Summit logo, and on the back they said, "Love is stronger than cancer." I have to admit, I struggled a little with that phrase. I knew what it meant but I couldn't quite wrap it around my perspective on cancer.

My perspective shifted a little though, and I was able to understand better what that phrase means. If we give in to the fear and uncertainty and grief of cancer, we give power to cancer. But if we choose love and life and hope and family, in spite of the daily struggles and trials and set backs, love is stronger than cancer, and as a family, we become stronger than it too. It's a powerful message, and we actually had several people ask us where they could get one. Who knows, maybe next year they CWH will make their own.

This year, we stayed both Friday and Saturday night at a condo at Snowbird, which was absolutely lovely. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful or secluded location. Here's a recap of the weekend in pictures:

First we celebrated the fact that my sister Rachel is done with school and graduated!!! Her husband Jase made her an awesome cap (out of file folders, no less) and we had ourselves a little party. I am so proud of her!


Instead of hiking, my dad and Tim and I volunteered to help with the event in the morning. Honestly, we didn't do much, but we were real helpful when there was anything to do, like putting up signs.


Dad with two of my aunts who came to support him. They both hiked the mountain - go Auntie Robin and Auntie Annie!


My mom's best friend Maureen came with her husband and her daughter Madelyn, Madelyn's husband Mike, and their adorable little girl Marina. Madelyn lived in Pittsburgh while I was there, and I hadn't seen her since I moved back. I was so excited when I found out they were coming - it was great to catch up!


The whole group, there to support my dad...


...minus me and Tim because we were manning one of the booths at the time.


The yellow flags at the top of the mountain are like prayer flags, and each one has a message to someone who has or had cancer. It's incredible to see all the flags flapping (sometimes almost flying away) in the wind.



Here are some examples of flags written for my dad:



And of course, we love being in such a beautiful place. The view never gets old from the top of the summit.


Here are our shirts from the back. I really, really love this picture. I love that we're together, unified by our shirts, yes, but really unified in what it means. I means a lot to me that we go every year to this event.