The Healing Walk

Yvonne and her 40-year-old daughter, Rebecca, got out of the car. It was only 9.20am, but the sun was already hot. Yvonne grappled with a parking app to put 3 hours parking on the car, and the two of them made their way to where the ‘Pink Army’ were gathered.

This was a ‘Race for Life’ event – the annual fundraiser organised by Cancer Research. Yvonne and Rebecca had done this walk together for many years. They always walked 10k and usually did the event held at Milton Keynes. They liked the pretty walk around Willen Lake, which also afforded some shade in hot weather.

Often, in previous years, Yvonne and Rebecca had met up for a few ‘practice’ walks prior to the day. This year, however, had not been a good year, and they had both only just made it to the event. A profound sadness that affected the whole family sat on their shoulders like a dark cloud.

Yvonne had also been ill in the week leading up to Race for Life. Her physical body had just seemed to ‘give up’. She had experienced searing abdominal pains, and her whole body had become covered in a terrible rash, that was itchy and blistered. Her GP could find no underlying physical cause and, after a good chat with Yvonne, had put it down to emotional stress. ‘No surprise there’, thought Yvonne.

Yvonne and Rebecca pinned on their race numbers and back signs, and took their places at the start line. As usual, Yvonne read some of the signs pinned to backs in front of her, sharing motivations for doing the event. Yvonne always found them very moving, but this year tears flowed, as she realised so many people were going through difficult times.

Yvonne and Rebecca crossed the start line, and for two hours they walked and talked as if they were in a bubble, separated from the rest of the world. They shared their sadness and cried together. They pledged their love and their support for each other. Each minute helped them more and more to come to terms with their pain. Sometimes, as Yvonne slowed her pace due to the heat and still not feeling completely well, other walkers overtook them, and Yvonne then became very aware that she and her daughter were a part of this huge group brought together because there was pain of one sort or another in all of their lives.

By the time they crossed the finishing line, Yvonne was hot and tired, but felt so much better. She had made it round the course and had raised some money for a very good cause. Most of all, though, she felt that the two hours of precious time with her daughter had started the healing process.

As they made their way back to the car, Yvonne smiled for the first time in weeks. From now on, in her head, ‘Race for Life’ would be renamed ‘The Healing Walk’.

Hazel Wright: hazelwright1801@gmail.com