Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! (At least here in Canada).

Just wanted to share and express my deep gratitude and appreciation for all the people and blessings that I have in my life.

Thankful that I have many many close friends that I can call confidants. I recently read in a newspaper article that because of Instagram, Facebook, and other social media programs that people can lose touch with the deep friendship connection. Over the past number of years the number of confidants people have had have dropped from 3 to 2. I am so lucky that I have more than I can count on my fingers and toes!

Thankful that after five years of having no eyebrows and having to draw them in everyday, that my Aunt Julia in Taipei took me to get them tattooed. It’s a little thing but what a difference it makes to have them again! I am no longer reminded of my horrible ordeal the first thing when I wake up and look in the mirror. It was a little depressing I have to admit. (It’s not permanent – but I will take what I can get!)

Thankful that I was able to go to Taiwan this past summer and see my grandfather, my last living grandparent, before he passed. We had spent a couple of special moments ‎In the hospital while he was still lucid. I was never very close to my maternal grandfather but when he saw me in the hospital he reached out and pulled me in and hugged me which he had never done before. It was a special moment that I will never forget. My maternal grandmother passed suddenly last year. I attended her funeral. My paternal grandfather passed away when I was 15. My paternal grandmother who I was the closest with, I didn’t arrive in time to say my last good-byes while she still had breath although I attended her funeral in the Philippines. For those who know, not being able to be there in her last moments, still pains me today. So what a blessing this trip was.

Thankful that I have all of you as my “special someones”! All whom I carry and keep close in my heart. Does it get better than that??

And, Thankful that my recent extra eye exam (which I wrote back about on WW’s #56) came back and it was normal. For now – just regular monitoring. I am not losing my peripheral vision yet! Phew!

As I quoted before from Audrey Hepburn, I know that I walk with the knowledge that I never walk alone…

Eternally Thankful and Grateful of who I am and who & what I have in my life. There is so much to look forward to!

Summed up here by‎ Charlie Brown:

“The smile on my face doesn’t mean my life is perfect. It means I appreciate what I have and what I have been blessed with.

I choose to be happy.”

THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR BEING MY WARRIORS!

Love, Winnie xo

Hello Everyone:

Run Day. October 2^nd. It was a great day. 13 Warriors and I did the CIBC Run for the Cure. This was the team’s 5^th outing. The weather called for Thunder-storms. However when I left my condo to head down for the Opening Ceremonies, the sun was shining and it was actually quite warm. I was feeling good and proud to be doing the Run again. I still get goose-bumps as I see all the other participants and when I enter King’s College Circle. I remember my first time out in 2011 after my treatments just ended and how overwhelmed I was. I remember when I crossed the finish line that first time and heard my brother encouraging and cheering me on (while taking a video of my very slow trot),  to the event where I told my story to the over 13,000 people who were there. Then,  writing “Winnie’s Warriors” on the Wall of Hope. Now for the 5^th time. It was a beautiful day and I even ‘jogged’ 3 out of the 5 kilometres!! Pleasantly surprised that I was in better shape than I had thought. I mean, I am not a jogger, let alone a runner! HAHA.

That said, we were all pretty much ready to go home after the pre-run “warm-up”. But all 14 Warriors crossed the finish line! J

On another note, my girls came out for the first time…….I’m talking about my little nieces, Hana and Miya!  J  *Photos attached.

All said and done, I walked almost 9 miles and took 17,000 steps over the course of the day. At least that is what my watch gadget said. The Advil and a warm Epsom salt bath afterwards when I got home was welcomed! And a little nap of course! I have to admit that my legs were a little sore this morning walking up the subway stairs! 😛

When there were 3 sleeps to go, I received a message that I was a Top 25 fundraiser in Toronto. With over 10,000 participants at the Toronto Run – I thought that was pretty cool. We are all Changemakers!

Thank you to all my wonderful, generous friends, colleagues, Warriors and family who have helped Winnie’s Warriors raise about $40,000 since I have started on this journey and I am truly honored and humbled by this achievement.

Next year, I am going to take Winnie’s Warriors and move us to raise funds for the Yorkville Run, which supports local charities. I used that run as part of my “training”. It was 5 kilometres as well. Special thanks to Warrior Brenda for doing it with me. We power-walked (sort of) the entire away – coming in around 53 minutes. I think we shaved a few minutes off that time at this Run. J LOL.

At that run, I supported Wellspring, which is a local charity that provides support, assistance, and activities to those who have gone through, are going through, and living with cancer. I think fundraising for local charities may have more impact overall.

My fellow Warriors and I had some delicious dim sum after the Run. It was another moment in my life that I will cherish. There have been many on this journey – and there will be many more!

Year 5. I’m looking forward to Year 10 (when I hopefully won’t have to take any more Tamoxifen and my hair will really grow back!!)

Life is a collection of moments and the idea is to have as many good ones that you can. That’s my plan!

Hugs and love,

Winnie, the Warrior xo