I have been a part of many teams in my life, in one form or another. Sports, hobbies, work-based groups. One type of team I feel most fulfilled in joining is one raising money for a cause. Twnty-four-hour relays for kids camps, big brothers and many, many team efforts for cancer research.

I have a few close friends who have experienced and battled cancer – some successful, some not. But we walked, ran and raised money to hopefully find a cure someday. When it came to my own battle, I felt kind of lost. I received a diagnosis in 2013 of polycythemia vera, a rare chronic blood cancer with no cure. However, with the right medical care, it would most likely not be fatal.

After 6 months of feeling a bit overwhelmed, scared and unsure, I put on my big girl pants and faced it head on. I hate taking the little blue and pink chemotherapy pills every day, but I pushed that feeling away; I had better things to do than feel sorry for myself!

I carried on with life, never forgetting about the fact that I was one of the more fortunate ones. Not everyone with a cancer diagnosis can say this. When I read the post about Sole 2 Soul on a Facebook page, it seemed different. I had participated in fundraisers for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for all blood cancers, but this was a team focusing on just MPNs. I signed up pretty quickly and it was a whirlwind of filling out forms, asking for donations, and squeezing in some hiking to prepare.

Our Colorado training trip in June came and went in the blink of an eye, but in a short 48 hours, a small group of strangers became family. After our group dinner the first night, we all shared our story of why we were here. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone who has not been touched by cancer, but we all bonded over our experiences and our reasons for joining Sole 2 Soul.

The 10-mile hike was exhausting, physically and emotionally. I was so impressed with everyone's effort and determination. This was a tough endeavor! The last mile or so, I remember not hearing much talking from the group, but I was taking it all in. I feel so close to these people who marched up and down that spectacular, challenging trail with not a lot of complaining (at least not that I could hear). Smiles, laughter, blown soles of shoes, shared snacks and water, a snowball fight, a dip in a freezing lake, breathtaking scenery, waterfalls, lots and lots of pictures, a few tears, aching legs and feet – all for the same goal.

I cannot wait to hug, hike, laugh and spend time in Waterton with this amazing group of humans. Every participant raising money and hiking to try and make sure we don't lose any more precious lives to these diseases. I have always loved my birthday but since my diagnosis I embrace every single one. A saying I quote often " Never regret growing older, it's a privilege denied to many."

Shout out to my family and friends who supported this walk for me, it means the world!