Stefan Zimmerman

I was first introduced to Maryland Trek in the summer of 2019. My 13 year old nephew, Nic Nelson, had recently been diagnosed with an aggressive form of bone tumor called Ewing's sarcoma. He moved to Columbia, Maryland from Anchorage, Alaska, to live with his grandparents and receive treatment at Johns Hopkins. Through friends, Nic and his mother, Jane, were introduced to the Trek team and Nic was made one of the Trek kids for the 2019 Trek. We were fortunate enough to participate in one of the walking legs of the Trek with Nic and the rest of the family and had lunch with the Trek team. We met the Trekkers, feeling truly in awe of their energy and dedication, while sharing a delightful meal of Chik-fil-a. Seeing the Trek van, which was adorned with photos of the Trek kids, each a child suffering from cancer, including my nephew Nic, was sobering to say the least. In the months afterwards, Nic received craniosacral therapy from Shannon, among other services, which thankfully provided him some relief from an otherwise grueling schedule of chemotherapy treatments. I have seen first hand how the Trek team really helps these kids and families who are going through an unimaginably difficult experience. Unfortunately, we lost Nic to cancer just over one year after his diagnosis. Participating in the Trek is just one small way that I hope to honor Nic's memory and help support other families dealing with childhood cancer.