Hugs Against Cancer

On Wednesday, February 23rd Imerman Angels set a new record of 446 Hugs Against Cancer in response to a friendly competition with LIVESTRONG.

Our awesome crew dressed up in Imerman gear with our teddy bear hugger (also in IA gear) and hit the streets on Michigan Ave from 12pm-1:30pm. Everyone was energetic and excited for our street team event.

From the moment we arrived the hugs were constant, with some creative hugging in between. Most people who hugged our bear said, “You just made my day!” or “Thank you…I needed that!” We love hearing things like this here at Imerman Angels! Moreover, after getting a hug we had someone who came back with some Starbucks hot chocolate for the entire crew. He said he wanted to thank us for doing something so simple yet something that could make a difference in the cancer world through awareness.

While we participated in this event to break a record, we wanted to make a difference. Granted standing on Michigan Ave giving out hugs to strangers isn’t much but in return we created an awareness about our organization and met some cancer fighters, survivors, and caregivers along the way!

Thank you so much to everyone who came out.

Watch the video below:

I remember hearing about this guy who beat cancer and won some bike race in France. At the time, I was an avid mountain biker, hated road bikes, etc. seemed like too much work and not enough fun for me. A couple of years later, I picked up his book. From the first page, I couldn’t put the book down. I felt like he got it. He knew everything that I went through. Did he write this book for me? Of course not…but maybe he did. He wrote it for people like me who struggle with life during and after cancer. There is no guidebook for a cancer diagnosis, you don’t know what to do, how to act, what to say. Everyone feels sorry for you and they don’t know what to say either. Do they ask if you are cured? Will it come back? How was treatment? You feel completely isolated, because again, people just don’t get it. This book was my bible. I read it 4 or 5 times.

Read the rest of Joe’s story on his blog.

LIVESTRONG and the YMCA are partnering up to deliver fitness programs tailored to cancer fighters, survivors and caregivers.  From muscle endurance programs in Ann Arbor,  24 Hours of Booty in Charlotte and Yoga in Dallas to nutrition in Des Moines, LIVESTRONG is helping the cancer community all around the country.  Click here to see how you can participate!

Jonny packed up for Austin, TX to attend the 3rd annual LIVESTRONG Young Adult Alliance conference.  The event was attended by our friends in the cancer community: a collective of non-profits, hospitals and cancer centers who joined together to discuss topics related to advocating on behalf of young adults (a patient population who is often forgotten, living in between pediatrics and older patients) and improving survival.  According to LIVESTRONG:  “The Alliance is a group of organizations brought together that serve people with cancer ages 15-40 and are filling a drastic void in cancer care and support.”

A few words from Jonny:

“The Alliance this year had over 120 organizations, each that help young adults with cancer!!! It was AMAZING to see the PASSION in the room – many survivors and caregivers, and how we ALL want to unify to improve the cancer support world!!! The atmosphere was one of friendship, collaboration, and ACTION!!!  IA is now working with every single group there!! LiveSTRONG does a fantastic job of bringing us all together and helping us find synergies!!!”

Thanks to Jack Bouffard and Tracy Maxwell for allowing me to publish their photos!