Meet the Teams Supporting Our Annual Walk-A-Thon & 5K Run: The Suncatchers Story
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On most summer mornings here at the shore, the sun will announce its arrival by painting the sky in vivid hues of yellow, orange and pink. One can often see joggers and early morning risers stopping, just briefly, to take in the beautiful sight. In the evenings, as the sun hangs low in the sky, creating soft, warm light, many will gather to relish the “golden hour” with loved ones. Nancy Sweeney, a beloved guest of Mary’s Place by the Sea, always stopped to witness the beauty of the sun in those magical moments.
Nancy was one of seven children in her family. Her home was loud and rambunctious and full of love. Nancy and her siblings formed great bonds growing up, and those friendships continued into adulthood.
Nancy was a gentle, loving and fiercely independent soul. She was a mother of two sons and pursued a fulfilling career caring for others. She was a nurse by trade and practiced independent caregiving, before becoming a functional medicine health coach. Before she became a guest of ours, Nancy would recommend Mary’s Place to other women in her life who would benefit from our mission.
Cherished Moments with Family
While Nancy treasured her close relationships with all of her siblings, her sister Vicki, closest to her in age, was her frequent partner in crime. They shared bedrooms growing up and cherished memories of living together as adults too. Vicki described Nancy and herself as starkly different, but symbiotic. They enjoyed life’s adventures together, and often connected by taking walks and talking together.
After recommending Mary’s Place as a resource for others, Nancy finally decided to visit Mary’s Place following her own diagnosis.
“When she came home, there was a noticeable peacefulness about her. There was always peacefulness about Nancy – she regularly practiced yoga and meditation and other mindfulness practices – but when she came home from her experience at Mary’s Place, I was struck by the extra sense of peace about her,” said Vicki.
Milestones and Celebrations
Nancy had shared with Vicki that she was going to walk in the Mary’s Place by the Sea Walk-A-Thon. At that point, Nancy’s illness had progressed, and Nancy’s sisters agreed to put a Fundraising Team together for the Walk-A-Thon, without telling Nancy.
“We were adamant that we wanted it to be a surprise,” Vicki smiled. “Everyone got on board and all hands were on deck. We started to share information with friends and family – telling everyone about Mary’s Place and how near and dear it was to Nancy’s heart. We didn’t know what we were getting into – but we knew we had a shot to make it big!”
Before the Walk-A-Thon, their family had a very special milestone to celebrate.
“It was Nancy’s life mission to make it to her son Justin’s wedding in October – it was so important to her – and she did. She was incredibly beautiful and amazing – to see Nancy on the dance floor with her two sons and my parents, experiencing the enjoyment of everything was just amazing.”
The day after her son’s wedding, with the family all together, Nancy’s siblings decided they would surprise her. Dressed in shirts and hats they had made for the Walk-A-Thon, they broke the news to Nancy that they had put together a Fundraising Team and would all be walking together.
“She lost it. In a good way. She was touched. So touched.”
The Impact of Participation
A few days later, Vicki recalled driving Nancy to Memorial Sloan Kettering for an appointment.
“With chemo pumping in her arm, all she did for hours was make calls. She was on the phone with all of these people, asking them to come to the Walk or to donate. It was unbelievable. She didn’t stop and even while she wasn’t feeling well, she was on a mission, and she made it happen.”
“Looking back,” Vicki said, “We often had friends and loved ones reaching out asking, ‘What can I do? How can I help Nancy?’ and we quickly realized, the Walk-A-Thon was the perfect answer as it served as an opportunity to invite others to participate and support Nancy.
Over forty friends and family members traveled near and far to be with Nancy on the day of the Walk-A-Thon last year, many more joined virtually and donated online, all in Nancy’s honor. They wore baseball caps and shirts adorned with a logo designed by Vicki’s granddaughter.
They named their team The Suncatchers.
“Nancy loved sunsets and sunrises; everyone in our family knew she loved them. It was to the point where we would have to plan dinners around sunsets. It was actually quite comical.”
Vicki reflected on what became a special family reunion for Nancy at the Mary’s Place Walk.
“It all came together because it was supposed to come together. What we got out of it – our family – look at the memory it gave us…
Nancy was able to get out of her wheelchair and walk across the finish line with her son Justin and her new daughter-in-law Katie. It was pretty awesome. Thank you to the whole team at Mary’s Place for giving Nancy and our entire family the gift of that very special experience. ”
The Gift of Togetherness
The Suncatchers stood out to everyone in attendance at the Walk last year. Their energy, warmth and genuine gratitude for the opportunity to be together and to support a cause near and dear to Nancy, radiated from each team member.
“You know the thing about Mary’s Place – it’s one of those resources that impacts the individual, but there are residual impacts that benefited everyone close to Nancy. You can’t buy that kind of gift.”
On the day of Nancy’s memorial, her family talked about sunsets and sunrises and their meaning for Nancy.
“I have people who still reach out to me today to tell me that they take the time to appreciate the sunrises and sunsets now. I think to myself ‘Nancy, that’s a gift. Thank you.’”
For each team member and volunteer at Mary’s Place who met Nancy, she had a lasting impact. Hearing Vicki share the story of the Suncatchers brought it full circle for us this year. We are grateful to each of Nancy’s family members for their continued support of our mission, and to Vicki for her willingness to share their story.
R.A. Salvatore once said, “We need to be reminded sometimes that a sunrise lasts but a few minutes. But its beauty can burn in our hearts eternally.”
We have no doubt that the impact Nancy made on her loved ones, and on our mission, have made an everlasting mark.
