From staff reports
TRUSSVILLE — A family of five from Houston is almost 75 percent through their journey to walk from Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., to Disney World in Orlando, Fla.
Traveling by foot 20 to 25 miles per day, the family will arrive to the Trussville area Tuesday on their walk to honor their late daughter and help other families facing cancer.
The Cobb family will be visiting various businesses and friends in Trussville. Julia’s father, Jonathan, was on staff at Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Trussville when Julia was suddenly diagnosed with cancer in December 2011. Trussville residents are invited to join the Cobb Family as they walk through town.
Jennifer and Jonathan Cobb have had to face more than most families over the past 10 years. Both have lost their mothers to cancer, Jonathan battled a rare cancer, and then their daughter was diagnosed at the age of 6 with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare bone cancer. Julia spent 22 months undergoing treatment for her cancer at MD Anderson Children’s Hospital and at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Before she passed away in October last year, St. Jude gave the 8-year-old one last opportunity to go on a Make-a-Wish trip with her family to Disney World.
“Disney World provided us with great memories as a family outside of the hospital and away from cancer, in a sense,” said father Jonathan. “The last days we had with Ju were at a magical place, and it was a place that brought a smile to her face despite her being sick.”
Walking from one end of the country to the other seems impossible, but that dream is becoming a reality 252 days and 2,970 miles into their journey and the Mojave Desert, Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains behind them. Their message, and that of their nonprofit JuCan Foundation, is quite clear — with every step they take on this 4,000-mile journey, they are bringing awareness for how much support and funding is needed in the area of pediatric cancer. Their goal of $413,000 is for research and helping families in their fight.
“Each step we take will hopefully encourage those who are suffering that if we stand together in love, and place our hope in an amazing God, all things are possible,” said Jonathan.
The Cobb Family estimates arriving to Disney World in June. Residents can follow the Cobb Family as they continue their walk from Alabama to Disney World and see how they uplift families everywhere with a JuCan – UCan attitude of determination, not accepting defeat, and holding on to hope of a cancer-free world.
For more information, visit: www.JuCanFoundation.org.