Health & Fitness
Blog: Fighting Cancer with Every Step
Bittersweet song celebrates the memories of two women who fought cancer.
Relay For Life has its bittersweet moments. Watching cancer survivors walk the track with family and friends after raising money for cancer research and support programs is both inspirational and sad. It’s inspirational to see so many people resolved not to let their cancer diagnosis stop them. It’s also sad to see the so many people affected by cancer.
Al Fultz of Catonsville was touched five years ago while he walked the track. If you’re not familiar with Relay For Life, it is an all-night event to raise funds for the American Cancer Society. Teams who have raised money from family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors walk around a track in both celebration and determination.
Al was there in memory of his wife Betsy who died on Christmas Day 2006. His team is Betsy’s Midnight Walkers. As he walked the track he noticed a little girl wearing a Relay For Life T-shirt that was so long on her it dragged on the ground. Looking up he noticed the girl was holding the hand of her mother, Carol Tucker, who sported a bandana to cover her bald head. Carol walked all night.
Find out what's happening in Catonsvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Walking that night, Al was moved to write a song celebrating Betsy and Carol, other cancer survivors, and the families and friends who support them.
“She wore a blue bandana with baggy tattered jeans. Anyone can see she used to fill them better but, now, well no. Her sandals barely left the ground as she stepped along.”
Find out what's happening in Catonsvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
After writing the lyrics, Al needed to set it to music. So he contacted Rick Witkowski, the guitarist for Al’s favorite band, Crack The Sky, and asked for help. Rick put the lyrics to music and the result is stunning.
Sadly, Carol who helped inspire this song, has since died. But the spirits of Betsy and Carol live on in this song and in the people who loved them and continue to fight cancer in their absence. Donations to Betsy’s Midnight Walkers can be made by visiting the team’s donation page.
There are as many stories as there are people walking the track during the Relay For Life. You’re invited to be part of the inspirational event and walk with us: the survivors, the caregivers, the people who want to stop cancer in its tracks. Relay For Life of Catonsville will be held from June 9 and 10 at the CCBC Catonsville Stadium Track. More information is available here.