Moms sharing their journey

♦ A special Summit Quest event helps women build a support network.

“Don’t do it alone, we were never meant to live this life alone,” Diana Newberry said to the group of women seated at tables on the shore of Wax Lake Tuesday evening.

The women were attending the inaugural Moms Moving Mountains event hosted by Summit Quest which focused on bringing together mothers who are dealing with cancer directly or indirectly.

“During the past year our eyes were opened by how many moms deal with cancer,” William James, founder and executive director of Summit Quest said. “Moms move mountains every single day.”

Driving to the event made Ann Hook emotional she said. She briefly shared her cancer experience with the women before introducing the speakers of the evening. Roles change she said, daughters end up becoming caretakers and it brings people to their knees.

“The reason this is so important is because this wasn’t here when I had cancer,” she said.

Cancer affects the entire family, Newberry said, it is important to have a support system. Pulling out a bra she explained how fitting the description of a bra relates to how women need support when it comes to dealing with the issue of cancer. There needs to be body, support, full padding, movement and confidence she said.

“It needs to pull you up and let you know you are a strong woman,” she said. “I know I am still a mom, I know I am still a grandmom, I’m still who I was before and I’m still as strong.”

Listeners included mother and daughter duo Lina Dupree and Lauren Holloway. Dupree said she and her daughter have been going through their own journey dealing with the effects of a tumor attached to Holloway’s spine.

Rounds of chemotherapy and radiation have been scheduled, however Holloway has had to go to the hospital on several different occasions for reasons including a collapsed lung, high temperatures as well as blood pressure and heart rate issues.

Holloway got out of the hospital on Easter Sunday and is scheduled to return on Monday for more treatment.

“That’s my baby girl,” her mother said.

Holloway and Dupree got the chance to sit and share a meal with other women undergoing similar journeys, which is what Summit Quest organizers were aiming for, James said.

After dinner the women were able to continue their fellowship over s’mores and a fire alongside picturesque Wax Lake.

For more information about Summit Quest and their programs visit http:// www.mysummitquest.org.

John Popham Linda Shannon (from left) has a hot s’more with Donna Rogers and Mistie Blair on the shores of Wax Lake in Silver Creek on Tuesday night. The three women were a part of the Moms Moving Mountains event put on by Summit Quest for women who have been affected by a cancer diagnosis either directly or indirectly.

John Popham Kristina Lansdell (from left), Anita Land, Madison Land and Vivian Davis share a meal during Summit Quest’s Moms Moving Mountains event in Silver Creek on Tuesday night.

John Popham Ann Hook presents a gift certificate to Nikki Allen, who was one of several raffle winners during Tuesday night’s Moms Moving Mountains event.