The 7th Annual Heather Saler Lung Cancer Walk
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH
Cooper River Park, Pennsauken, NJ

As I think about what to tell everyone that comes to our site, I think about what Heather would say. With her hands on the keyboard, rolling her eyes up, thinking with her baby smile, curly hair falling over her face, she would say, "I'm so happy, Bradley. Look what we've done. I can't believe that there were no walks for Lung Cancer and now there are probably 50 or 100 across the country in 6 short years. How many do you think we'll have 10 years from now? I think it's going to snowball, and hopefully we can push this to a national walk someday. But please, Brad, we need more help. Please help me find it."

So, folks if you are reading this, you took the first step to be part of our family. We hope you are here because you are looking to find support for our unfortunate commonality. If so, you've found it. We are a small group of volunteers - Heather got us together - but we are together for you. We want to grow, raise awareness for our lung cancer fight, and find funds to give to bright doctors so they can cure this dreaded disease. Please join us for the walk; please help us plan if you can. Help us find sponsors, but most importantly please remember to praise and love all who have been touched by lung cancer. I thank you...Heather thanks you...for being a part of this movement. I promise, on behalf of our committee, to keep this going and continue to make a difference.

Sincerely,
BRAD SALER

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I thought that some of you would want to read the essay below:

Written by 12 year old Melissa Cheeseman - friend of Heather.

Eighty-five thousand dollars, all for lung cancer. I was really tired that day. I had walked three miles at a walk for lung cancer. After walking I felt as if I'd never be able to walk again. The walk was dedicated to Heather Saler, my hero. I remember that day she took the time even though she was sick, to come to her walk. She is my hero because she has taught me that it is possible to accomplish difficult things. But she didn't teach me this in one day, or even a week! It took about four or five years, ever since I met Heather.

Heather had a very long battle between herself and lung cancer. Heather got this horrible disease when she was 34 years old. It was at a very young age. When the doctors discovered the cancer they soon found out that it was at a very bad stage, stage four. At that age she had terrible eating habits. She had eaten a lot of junk food. Thinking it would help her, she started eating a macrobiotic diet. I never thought it was very appetizing, then again I was about 8. But either way this diet helped Heather in a tremendous way!

Later on Heather received a surgery to remove the cancer from her lungs. Fortunately, the surgery succeeded to remove the cancer. But soon afterward she developed the disease again. Except it was a lot worse! She was on an oxygen tank for a really long time. After a few weeks she went back to the hospital, not for another surgery, but for chemo therapy. I wasn't allowed to visit her. I really wanted to see her but my mom said, " She's changed a lot, I'm afraid you won't recognize her." One day my mom had come back from a visit to the hospital. I  had asked "How is Heather? Is she getting any better?" "No she's getting worse," my mom replied. One day she had gotten so bad that her son had to leave school to visit her, just in case. That same night she had passed away. When I first heard this it was a day later and I was at one of my softball games. People had been talking about her being dead and I asked my mom if it was true. She had said she didn't want to talk about it at that time but I had begged and pleaded. Then my mother replied "Yes." I was so upset I had to force back my tears so I didn't start crying in front of my friends. I still remember while I was at bat I had thought to myself, "This hit is for Heather." I ended up hitting my first double.

A couple of days later we went to her funeral. I had cried really hard. I  still remember the priest saying "Although she died, she still beat the disease." That's when I learned it. It is possible to accomplish difficult tasks. She was an amazing, courageous, strong woman. Even though she had passed away her memory still lives on. Most people cannot survive lung cancer for five years. But Heather did and she showed me that it is always possible to accomplish hard tasks. This is why Heather Ann Saler is my hero