For Pop Pop

Today’s post is very close to my heart and it’s very hard for me to share...so please bear with me if I don’t make sense. 

I don’t usually talk about heavier topics like this, but I since Penn State THON is in 2 days, I thought now would be the perfect time to share :)

This year, members of my dance team and I (hehe hey s/o Rayna & Victoria) are going to be standing for as many hours as we can over this weekend. We’re standing to emulate the struggles people endure when they have cancer. Now obviously, we are aware this is not NEARLY the same as an actual cancer journey, but each year Penn State holds a dance marathon in honor of the kids. I’m going to share with you why I THON. 

I THON for my Pop Pop. He was the most inspiring, hard-working person there was. He was a brother, father, grandfather, and friend. He touched the lives of those around him. He unfortunately lost his battle to lymphoma when I was about 8 years old. Even though I was so young, not a day goes by where I don’t miss him. Losing him was the first true experience of heartbreak I had in my life. I watched my family struggle to continue without him, and there was nothing I could do. I felt helpless. I experienced anxiety I had never known prior, and was confused on how to deal with it. 

As devastating as it was, I think our family truly relied on one another to get by. It sounds weird, but I think there’s something beautiful about loving someone so much, that their absence is so painful. It truly means they had an impact on you. 

Unfortunately this story is not unique to our family. Thousands of families go through the same struggles with cancer. We THON for the hopes of a better tomorrow. We THON so that one day, maybe people won’t have to hear that their loved one has cancer. 

Now, I’m not sharing this post for sympathy or for you to feel sorry for me. Rather, I’m sharing it for the message that I want you to know that I will do anything in my power to be there for those who have similar stories. I see you, and I love you very much ❤️ I hope you know we’re in this fight together, and we’ll continue to fight FTK! 🎗