She’s doing a 24-hour version of the Canadian Cancer Society Relay for Life today in Prince George and she really doesn’t want to walk alone.
Megan Goetken, 22, has lost five loved ones in six years and she’s tired of it. In the hopes of raising funds for cancer research, honouring loved ones, and inspiring others, she’s walking the 24 hours despite the fact that the Prince George Relay for Life will start at 4 p.m. today and end at 10 p.m. The walk takes place at Lac Des Bois school on Rainbow Drive but Goetken will go back and forth from the school site to CN Centre beginning at 10 a.m. and ending Sunday at 10 a.m.
“Even if people just want to join me for some laps that would be awesome,” Goetken said.
At eight years old she started donating her hair to the Canadian Cancer Society’s wig program and has done it two more times over the years.
She jumped onto the TikTok app Thursday and asked people to give names of loved ones that have been affected by cancer and she’s got 50 names so far and they will be written on the T-shirts she’ll be wearing during her 24-hour adventure. The goal is to raise $5,000 during her 24-hour relay and she’s at $1,400 so far and is hoping that she’ll achieve her goal this year.
Over the years she’s raised more than $20,000.
Here are the names of the loved ones she’s lost to cancer and is honouring during the walk:
Gamma, Sharon Goetken (1946-2017)
Papa, Norm Goetken (1940-2019)
Nana, Pat Giesbrecht (1943-2019)
Grandpa, Ben Geisbrecht (1941-2019)
Uncle Guy, Don Antrobus (1955-2020)
“I will also be walking for those who won and those that are still fighting like my Uncle Tom Pendlebury,” Goetken said on her fundraising page. “I wish we could live in a world without this monstrous disease but sadly that's not the case. I'm walking so that maybe one day the word "cancer" won't break your heart because we will have the cure to kick its ass every time. I hope for that. That's all I want. F**k cancer.”
To help Goetken achieve her goal visit Megan's Relay for Life fundraising page and if you'd like to go one step farther, go for a short walk with her, too, if you can.
"I'd really love that," Goetken said.
