STOWE, Vt. -
Cancer. The word carries different meaning for all of us, but everyone has some sort of tie to the disease.
That includes the hundreds of people who just wrapped up the 12th annual Weekend of Hope in Stowe.
Whether you had cancer, have cancer, are a caregiver, or a friend, there wasn't a dry eye in the room Sunday, and many people found comfort in knowing others can relate.
The room full of people at the Stoweflake Resort all share a common thread,
"I was stage two in 94," Ann Taylor said.
"I'm in the one percentile for still being here," Jane Merchant said.
"We've lost a number of people in our family," Hannah Marshall added.
And because far too many people have a story and everyone needs some support, many people started this weekend as strangers and are leaving with lifelong friends. "I want them to leave with a connection that they can keep, and they can know that they're not alone," Susan Rouselle, President of the Stowe Weekend of Hope said.
In addition to making friends, the weekend enabled brain cancer survivor Jane Merchant to cross horse-back riding off of her bucket list. There were also workshops and discussions about recent advances in treatments and a closing ceremony filled with dancing, motivational speeches, singing and a moment of silence for those who lost their battle. But many said it was still truly a weekend filled with hope. "We had 450 cancer survivors this year, and that's a record," Rouselle exclaimed.
In total there were about 800 people there to share their stories or support those currently fighting the fight.
