On Saturday, September 19, I’ll lace up my hiking boots for the Make-A-Wish Maine Trailblaze Challenge. I’ll hike 23.4 miles through Carrabassett Valley, traveling around Flagstaff Lake and back to the Sugarloaf Outdoor Center.

This will be my fourth year taking on the challenge. This year, I’ll be hiking with a teammate, and together we must raise at least $5,000 to complete the challenge. Every donation helps bring hope to Maine children facing critical illnesses and gives their families something joyful to look forward to during an incredibly difficult time.

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Why This Challenge Is Personal to Me

I was a child when my dad was first treated for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Today, he is a two-time cancer survivor.

His battle with cancer affected our entire family. It limited what we could do during that season of our lives, but it also strengthened us. We spent more time together than ever before, and we have kept that close family bond because we understand just how tender life can be.

During his treatment, my dad often reflected on how awful it must be for a child to endure cancer or another critical illness without being able to fully understand why treatments that cause so much pain and sickness are necessary—or that the suffering is meant to help them feel better in the end.

That is one reason a wish can be so powerful.

A wish gives a child and their family something hopeful to hold onto through the hardest days. It reminds them that there are joyful experiences ahead and helps them continue looking toward the future in a positive light.

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Inspired by Maine Wish Kids and Their Families

Over the past few years, I have had the privilege of meeting many wish kids and their parents through the Trailblaze Challenge. Their stories are both heartbreaking and inspiring.

Those stories stay with me on the trail. When my feet are sore, my legs are tired, and I do not want to take one more step, I remind myself that one difficult day of hiking is still easier than what these children and their families faced day after day while battling critical illnesses.

The 23.4 miles are meant to be hard. They are also a reminder of why we hike: to help bring hope, strength, and joy to Maine children when they need it most.

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Help Us Reach Our $5,000 Goal

My teammate and I need to raise a combined $5,000 to complete this year’s Trailblaze Challenge. Donations support Make-A-Wish Maine and help create life-changing wishes for children in our state who are facing critical illnesses.

If you are able to contribute, any amount will bring us one step closer to our goal—and help give a Maine child something wonderful to look forward to.

Donate to my Trailblaze Challenge fundraiser

Thank you for supporting me, my teammate, and the Maine wish families who inspire every mile of this hike.