A Story Of Crustasceans On Steroids, Friendship And Hitting You Up For Money

(breakfast)

Some friendships come and go, and some friendships are those that span the test of time, life trials, law school, marriages, the arrival of children, arguments, and ill-advised hair-color choices. I have been fortunate to have an amazing friend in my life who has stood by my side, no matter what. Years ago, we worked for the same law firm and shared an "office" of thinly-built cube walls and formica desks. At first, we seemed very different, so while we were respectful of one another, it appeared unlikely we would ever become close.

But, after many hours spent together in close cube quarters, we realized we both had silly senses of humor, and both loved to laugh (in retrospect, I am wondering if the Wite-Out fumes had anything to do with that?). An enduring friendship began to take root. Eventually, we were making up excuses to work late together, while laughing, and ordering lobster for midnight dinner in the conference room, while laughing, and eating Jelly Bellys for dessert, all while still laughing. Those memories I have of "work dates" with my friend Amy still make me smile, years later.

Besides being wickedly, absurdly funny and super-powered smart, Amy is loyal, thoughtful, and unbelievably generous. After a wrenching week of appointments this spring, I came home to find a Lobstergram package on my doorstep. Are these not the most massive lobster tails you've even seen? I named them Titanic and Gargantuan. That is, before I boiled and ate them with some fava beans and a nice Chianti! [evil laugh here.] All eighteen pounds of lobster were perfect and decadent, but I think the best part of the package was the card, which brightened my day in a way sometimes only her unique, caring words can.

Amy is such an amazing person that she should be karmically exempt from bad things in life. Sadly, it does not work that way, and she lost her dad to a brain tumor after watching him fight for his health for years. That is why she is participating in the Race For Hope this weekend in DC. In Amy's words:

We are racing in memory of Robert W. McGinnis II, a father, son, and brother who we lost on April 3, 2006. Although only 52 when he died, in the short time we had him my dad made a tremendous difference in our lives. Most importantly, he taught us how to laugh even in the darkest times. That sense of humor has brought us closer together and helped us find the joy in being silly. We are racing so that others might live to laugh another day. Knowing this group, it should be pretty damned funny.

The Race for Hope - DC raises funds to support innovative research initiatives and support services for brain tumor patients and their families. Thank you for your support in helping us find a cure for brain tumors!

Please consider supporting my incredible friend Amy's fundraising efforts and make a donation to her webpage below. Amy's page link is here:

http://www.braintumorcommunity.org/site/TR?px=2303305&fr_id=1490&pg=personal

I also wanted to post the page of Carol Welsh. She, too, will be walking tomorrow. I have spoken with Carol on the phone and she is a strong, inspiring survivor of a cruel disease. Please consider supporting her team's walking and fundraising efforts.

Please join Friends and Family of Carol Welsh as we work to find a cure for brain tumors. 2010 is the 10th Anniversary of Carol's fight against her ependymoma brain tumor; she has had 3 surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation, and as a result of her last surgery, now has a trach. We've been participating in the Race since 2004, and, thanks to your support, have raised more than $50,000 for the cause. In addition, friends and family have donated countless volunteer hours, which have made the Race for Hope the success it is. Thank you to Carol's friends from William and Mary, Katherine and Katie, who are spearheading an effort to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of their graduation from business school, by rallying all their classmates for the race. We also welcome the family and friends of Susan Parks Hower, a 12-year survivor of an astrocytoma. The Welsh and the Parks families have a wonderful connection in swimming that goes back 32 years. We're glad to combine forces!

Carol's team website can be found here:

http://www.braintumorcommunity.org/site/TR/Events/RFH-DC?team_id=33510&pg=team&fr_id=1490

Thank you for considering supporting my friends' fundraising efforts. Your donation will help with research costs and perhaps spare a family the pain that this disease has brought to Amy and Carol and someone that I am very close to but who shall remain unnamed. I'll just say she likes lobster and leave it at that.