Meagan's Walk

Today was a really nice day. Angie's first mother day and I think the day was a special one. In the morning, Sophie and I presented our gifts which included two nice cards and a gift card to Banana Republic. We were told to not buy any gifts, but we didn't think that mommy really meant it so we bought the gift anyway. After the morning nap, we went downtown to take part in Meagan's Walk. It is an annual event organized by one of my coworkers who lost his daughter to brain cancer 10 years ago. I have always wanted to go, but never did make it out, mostly since I didn't have any kids myself so I thought I would have felt awkward. Anyway, the event is a huge fundraiser and it keeps growing and growing and I would encourage anyone to take part in the future. Basically, quite a simple idea, 5km walk to Toronto's famous Sick Kids Hospital where the crowd surrounds the building holding hands and "hugs" the hospital. Today was a cold day, I would say unusually cold (especially this year), but it didn't stop people from coming out. Thousands of people came out with their kids, strollers and easily hugged the building. I must say i found it pretty emotional, I had tears in my eyes. I knew I would cry, but it really hit me. You could see the kids on the inside with their parents and just thinking about our last few years (or the last 20 years) and the time we spent at sick kids. That hospital has a special place in my life and Angie's as well since she had heart surgery there as a child. So we stood in the cold, held hands with strangers that stood next to us. At one point the women to my left asked me who I was walking for and I said nobody, really couldn't speak since i was quite emotional at the time. Sorry for that, the actual answer is: all the kids in that hospital now. I wish those kids could be somewhere else and weren't sick, but if you are sick, there literally isn't a better children's hospital anywhere.

Pretty cool way to spend a day, and very very well done by the Bebenek family.

Here is some links to the Meagan's Walk and Sick Kids hospital.

Thanks for reading.