AUDREY DITZLER

Hi, friends! 

Thanks for visiting my fundraising page! I'm excited to be participating in the Center for Loss and Bereavement's inaugural Strides for Hope 5K. 

2020 marks 25 years since we lost my dad after a battle with lung cancer. I'm sad that many people in my life didn't get to meet him. But if you did, you'd know that he was a family oriented, kind, funny, charismatic, and creative man.  

Parental loss at a young age and the grief that comes along with it is a powerful and life-long lasting experience. I wish I could more eloquently describe it, but for lack of better words, it's... complex. It never goes away and always has a space. Sometimes it takes up more space, other times it's okay staying tucked away. You can always visit it, but it can also show up uninvited. Sometimes it will make your knees buckle from sadness, and other times it'll bring a smile to your face with a favorite memory. Just when you think you recognize it and fully understand it, it changes and shows up as something completely new and unexpected. 

Perhaps the most important lesson I've learned in 25 years is that support makes all the difference in coping with grief. In 2018, I'd finally come to a point in my own grief journey where I felt empowered to help others experiencing grief. And just as the universe has it's funny way of doing things, it put the Center for Loss and Bereavement volunteer application in my path. 

I felt so inspired by their mission and impressed by their offerings and I just knew I had to get involved somehow. They welcomed me with open arms and have given me such a rewarding experience as a volunteer on their children's programs, workshops, fundraising, and event planning efforts. I want to support them as much as I possibly can so that they can continue to help others, as they truly are an invaluable resource for the bereaved community. Not only do they give expertise, they give back hope and strength to everyone they encounter. 

I'm participating in this event in honor of my dad -- every training run and step in the race, he will be my inspiration and motivation. I'm inviting my friends and family to join me on my team and be on Jun's Legacy Squad. <3 

You don't have to be a runner. I'm certainly not. I'm just going to set a goal of doing the 3 miles carrying good memories of my dad. I may run, I may walk, I may hobble, I may prance, or any combination of the above. But in any case, It will be so much more fun to have you there with me.