The Badger Mountain Challenge

It is so  amazing to me how one little boy can make a such a big difference in so many lives!  This past weekend,  the Badger Mountain Challenge was held in Washington near the Tri-Cities area.  It is a nine-mile course that, is extremely taxing, as it goes up and down to different parts of the mountain.  One of the runners posted this to show the difference in the elevation.  

Our little grandson, Cannon, who died on December 13, 2013, from a rare disease called Menkes is still in all of our hearts and minds daily, but we all had no idea of how many others were remembering him and the beautiful spirit and life he lived.  I am posting this event in his mother, Natalie's words:

"A few weeks after our sweet little Cannon boy took his last breath, Kent brought home a basket of goodies. Kentʼs office staff here in Sunnyside packed this basket full of DVDʼs for our whole family, crafts for the kids to do, and treats to go along with the movies. Along with this, they told Kent they were training for the Badger Mountain Challenge in Cannonʼs memory. I was overwhelmed with the feeling of love and support. These amazing women have been a part of our lives since before Cannon was even born. They have been so loving and caring. I knew that if they were all working hard and pushing themselves to do this challenge, wearing shirts for Cannon, I had to be a part of it. I was motivated to push myself and dig deeper into my dedication as I trained for this event. It was fun to meet up with some of Kentʼs employees occasionally to train together. It was a time of bonding that I will cherish forever."

 

 Some of the many friends who were running in honor of Cannon, plus Cannon's dad, Kent, and his brother, Ethan, and sister, Ella, who came to show their support

"The morning of the race, I was touched so deeply with the amount of yellow “Cannon” shirts I saw."

 "I am forever thankful to those in my life that remind me that Cannon is still living strong in our hearts. I had multiple runners tell me they felt Cannon up on the mountain giving them the strength they needed to complete the race. I felt him too. I am so thankful for the knowledge I have that life is eternal and that we can be reunited again. I am humbled by the goodness of others and honored to have such loving people surrounding me."

 Cannon's mom running for Cannon.

There were so many bright yellow shirts in the run, that an article was written about the Cannonboy Run. 

 

What is Your Cause? Here’s One From the Badger Mountain Challenge

Most of the people in today’s Badger Mountain Challenge were hiking, jogging and running for a cause.  The main cause was to support the Badger Mountain trail system.  Some people’s cause was better health.  Others have overcome challenges in their lives.  One group has a cause which is dear to their hearts as they remember a boy who died in December.

Hoping to Raise Awareness

This group of people in glowing shirts is from the Sunnyside area.  They are trying to raise awareness of a rare but deadly disease.

The Cannonboy Run Group from the Sunnyside area. Hoping to raise awareness of a disorder which took the life of young Cannon in December.

Kent and Natalie Copeland had their son, Cannon in 2010.  At first, he appeared to be a normal, healthy boy.  By four months old, the Copelands knew Cannon had some kind of problem.  Cannon was not developing as expected.  Through their own research and the help of their family doctor, Cannon was diagnosed with Menke’s disease.

What is Menke’s Disease?

Menke’s disease is a chromosomal abnormality which inhibits the body’s ability to properly distribute the critical element copper.  Copper is required for proper cell growth and regeneration in the body.  This can cause problems in the bones, skin, hair and nervous system.  Estimates on the frequency of Menke’s Disease are around 4 in a million.  Cannon was never able to talk or crawl.  He got his nourishment through a feeding tube.  His dedicated parents took care of him at home until he died in December of 2013.

Cannonboy Run

 

Now, Cannon’s parents, family, friends and relatives are committed to let as many people as possible know about this disease. They wore their bright, fluorescent yellow/green shirts today at the Badger Mountain Challenge with the “Cannonboy Run” logo on the front.  The family is planning to run and participate in many events this year to publicize their cause, honor Cannon, and bring awareness to Menke’s.

What is your cause?

The Copelands story gives us a great example of how we can be committed to an important cause.  If you’d like, I’m sure the Copelands would love your help in their effort to make people aware of Menke’s.  Or, maybe you have a cause of your own; recovery from addiction, cancer survival, getting back to activity after open heart surgery, losing 100 pounds, being healthier.  These are just a few ideas but maybe picking one or coming up with your own can motivate you to make improvements in your own life or the lives of others.

As Cannon's grandparents, we would like to thank those wonderful women in Kent's dental office who so kindly got the ball rolling on this cause.  Also, thanks to Natalie who worked so hard to do this.  She isn't really a "runner," in the fact that she doesn't really train to do anything like this.  But due to her determination to do this for her little son, nothing was going to stop her.  We admire you, Natalie, for this accomplishment.  Way to go!