[Friday, Latham spent the day in Pocatello, on one of the rare rest days he spends visiting cancer centers around the country. Talking with patients and workers at such centers serves to validate his cause, he said.] You'll be having this day when your back is hurting and someone will tell you their story and there will often be laughter and crying, ... The cancer centers are what it's all about for me. |
I believe I'll have a real story to tell. I may not sell a great many copies, I don't know. Maybe just a single copy will sit on my shelf. Maybe somewhere someone will pick up a copy, though, and it will prompt others to see a need for cancer research. |
I left Virginia and for the first hour or so, I kept thinking, 'What are you doing?' but as I continued on, I realized just how many Americans are impacted by cancer and my resolve kept growing, |
I met 92-year-old Isabelle Thomas in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She has fought four different types of cancer and just refuses to give up. She is just one of the dozens of reasons why I'm walking. |
I then plan to seclude myself and write a book about my experience, |
I'll have to be in contact with the state patrol there because I understand it will be long distances between water and food stops. I may need them bring me water or food, but I cannot take any rides. This is one effort where I plan to walk every step of the way. |
If one person decides to get checked for cancer and a life is saved because we met and they heard my story, then it's worth something. |
It gets kind of lonely sometimes, but it's not bad if you talk to yourself as long as you don't talk back, right? |
Most of these people have asked me to wear their bracelet and think of them along my trip. I can't not think about them. They are my inspiration. |
People are motivated by money or love, |
The French have a saying, 'Certainly you need money to live, but not to love,' and I agree. Money means nothing to me, but my friends whom I've met through cancer mean everything. |
This whole campaign is about people, it's about people and how they're affected by cancer, so I do my best on this website walkaboutamerica.com to tell these people's stories, some amazing stories of how they're beating cancer or in some cases how they're suffering from cancer and that's what it's all about. |
While passing by a "Sleep In" motel, Eric paused, and very matter-of-factly replied, "Well, don't tell me what to do!" |