Holly with her son Alex weeks before passing away from cancer
It’s time for that annual event when I put a seemingly useless skill of mine to some good. Yes, I’m referring to my swimming, because quite frankly, I can only swim in very specific conditions.
If you really want to know more, you’ll just have to read it on my Swim a Mile Donation Page.
This is my fourth year swimming this event and since 2008, I’ve been swimming in memory of my husband’s sister, Holly Philipp, who passed away from cancer one month before turning 36. It happened so quickly: her diagnosis right around Thanksgiving, and then in the late spring, she was gone. Jon and the rest of his family were fortunate to spend some time with her before she passed away.
This year I will also swim in memory of my dog Siwa. I’m convinced she was a Bodhisattva, her tail constantly wagging, truly enjoying life until the very end. She was diagnosed with canine melanoma in late 2007 and with the latest treatment, she was able to fend off the cancer until her passing in late fall 2009.
My swim will benefit the local “I-hella-heart” Oakland Women’s Cancer Resource Center, an organization that provides a variety of support to women with cancer. The Swim a Mile event is their biggest fundraiser of the year.
I also want to thank my awesome family and friends for helping me to surpass my goal of raising $500. I am blessed!
It’s not too late to donate though! My swim is scheduled for October 3, plenty of time for you to click that link and help me raise more money for women with cancer:
I'm Trish Roque and this is my arty blog. My goal is to make more art and to post it here along with musings and the many lessons I no doubt will encounter.