Happy 80th Birthday Dad!

Hello and welcome to my fundraising page!

 

This is me taking silly pictures with my Dad to try and make him laugh the last few months of his life. My Dad passed away from lung cancer almost 4 years ago. When he got diagnosed with lung cancer, it was too late, the cancer had already spread to several other organs. Sadly, approximately half of lung cancer cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage, when the cancer has spread beyond the lungs. About 80% of lung cancer deaths are estimated to be due to cigarette smoking. My Dad never smoked a cigarette.

 

For my Dad’s 80th birthday, I have decided to challenge myself by running my first half marathon to fundraise for an important cause: lung cancer.

 

My aim: run my first half marathon (https://firsthalf.ca), taking place in Vancouver on 12th of February 2023, the same day my Dad would have turned 80 years old.

 

My target: $1,000 for my Dad’s 80th birthday

 

My cause: Lung Cancer Canada (https://www.lungcancercanada.ca/en-CA/)

Lung Cancer Canada’s mission is three-fold:

1) to increase public awareness of lung cancer,

2) to support and advocate for lung cancer patients and their families, and

3) to provide educational resources to patients, family members, healthcare professionals, and the general public.

 

Lung cancer some facts:

*Lung cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide;

* About half of lung cancer cases are detected at stage 4 when it has already spread to other parts of the body;

* Implementing screening programmes to diagnose patients at an earlier stage is one of the major steps needed to decrease lung cancer-related deaths and improve survival;

For more details on lung cancer please visit this informative page: https://www.lungcancercanada.ca/en-CA/Lung-Cancer.aspx

 

Whoever had the fortune to meet my Dad knows what a wonderful person he was. I feel so incredibly lucky to have had such a marvellous example of love, care, respect, humbleness and guidance in my life.

 

Lovely and Fun facts about my Dad:

*When I was a kid he was making me choose the ties before going to office, and I punctually chose the ones with polar bears, giraffes or penguins. I wonder only now what were people saying to you at work??;

*He was reading me my favourite books when I was sick, and even when I was not;

*Sometimes you were finding him singing his favourite songs with a gorgeous smile, I remember him being so happy!;

*Sometimes he was going around the house saying that beauty would save the world;

*Sometimes he was making mom mad, and sometimes he was making mom mad on purpose :P;

*One of my Dad’s greatest passions was sailing. Together with my mom they were often sailing for adventures. They even went all the way to Antarctica once!

*One day he told us that with 1 euro and a great idea you can change the world!

 

Happy birthday Dad! I hope you are sailing through the seas, among whales, penguins and icebergs, or perhaps even for new worlds that nobody has ever seen, because that is how I imagine you, with the wind in the stern towards adventure!

 

I hope my birthday present makes you proud, but mostly, makes you smile, because one of my most precious memories, Dad, is your smile :)

 

I love you Dad, I love you very much!

 

Please support my cause by donating to this page which is linked directly to https://www.lungcancercanada.ca/en-CA/Donate-Now.aspx. Any little donation helps!

 

Thank you with all my heart for your support,

Costanza