Supporting charitable causes, in whatever small ways, has long been an area of interest for us, although in most cases, they have been of a passing kind.But once an illness like cancer emerges in your life, you tend to view things differently. All of a sudden, a magnifying-glass-effect starts to get focused on charitable causes that are aligned to your own disease, and those whose lives are also touched by that disease in similar ways.
And so, when we first read that the Terry Fox Run would be held in Sentosa, we took the first drive up to the registration-booth at The Regent Hotel and signed on.. merely 3 months after my chemo cycle in Sept 2006. And on that day, amidst a slight drizzle, over 7000 supporters run the 3 km route around the beach at Sentosa.
Inside of me, it was a personal triumph to be able to complete the route.. it sure felt good to be able to run again!
Since then, we have made it a point to support this "Run for Hope", just like Terry Fox did. And we hope to run every year till we are well into our 70's, if not 80's!
Similarly, when we got the "LiveStrong" wristbands through the post from Lance Armstrong's Foundation last month, we felt a nice tinge in our bodies when we slipped it around our wrist. Anytime we start to take things for granted now or we slip into self-pity, we will pull this rubber wristband so that it snaps back..reminding us of how lucky we are.
The Food-from-the-Heart Foundation, an incredibly simple yet enormously effective charitable cause to bring un-sold food or bread to the less fortunate, again gave us the opportunity to give back. The 'run' we do every week, since Jan 2003, brings us to The Muhammadiyah Welfare Home in Mountbatten, an easy 4km from The Blossom pasterie shop at Paya Lebar SingPost centre. And somehow, this has turned out to be one of the most fulfilling activities for us, week in and week out.
Yes, it is a good feeling..to be able to give back, in our own small ways.
/gleefully ntangle
