Family Stories
Family Story: Meet Team Payton
For the past few months you’ve heard about Team Payton, one of the top family teams at the 2011 Port to Fort race, so now meet the Oakley family and little Payton Oakley, the namesake of the team!
When three-year-old Payton was diagnosed with lymphoma in October 2010, it was a struggle to find even a small break in the stressful whirlwind that became daily life. Mom, Debra, stopped working in order to provide the care Payton needed, and everyone lived in constant fear that little Payton would get sick and have to be rushed to the hospital again. Doctors’ appointments, visits to the clinic and daily medication took a toll on Payton, whose mood swings began resembling those of a teenager.
Luckily, Payton’s social worker recommended that the family apply for the Believe In Tomorrow respite program in order to get away together, and a date was set for the five members of the Oakley family to stay at the Believe In Tomorrow House by the Sea in Ocean City, MD. Gerard and Debra knew better than to tell the kids where they were going for the weekend, with nine-year-old Seiler not a fan of being away from home, and the ever-present fear that Payton would get sick and the respite would be cut short. So, the car was packed, the kids were buckled in, and the five of them set out for “destination unknown”…the Eastern Shore.
Over the next few days, the family took advantage of just about everything possible to do in Ocean City during the month of February. Everyone enjoyed the unseasonably warm weather by spending lots of time on the beach. They tried out a few local restaurants, sampled Thrasher’s fries and Candy Kitchen goodies, went mini golfing, played laser tag, went to the arcade, toured the Lighthouse Museum and enjoyed the pool at the Holiday Inn. But believe it or not, by the end of the weekend, the family woke up to a snow-covered beach!
Upon returning home from a wonderful beach respite, the family wanted to give back and decided to participate in Believe In Tomorrow’s upcoming 6k race. They told a few friends and family members about it, thinking it would be fun to have a small group to walk together and raise money. Well if that wasn’t the understatement of the year!
Within a month and a half, Team Payton grew to 80+ members and raised over $10,000, surpassing every goal the Oakleys had set for the race. The team ordered t-shirts – purple, of course, Payton’s favorite color – and arrived in a majestic sea on race day, with a final count of 114 team members! There were smiles all around as the Oakley family accepted award plaques on behalf of the team earning both Community Team Challenge titles at this year’s Port to Fort. Little Payton herself, decked out in purple and clutching a purple flower, was even spotted dancing to the music after the race.
To the Oakley family – we are so happy to have been included in your Believe In Tomorrow journey, from the first moment you learned about our programs, through your preparation for the race, and hopefully for many more fun memories to come!
And to the members, donors, and fan of Team Payton – a huge thank you for your constant dedication and support, which has helped the team set records for future races to come. We hope to see everyone back alongside the Oakley family at next year’s 6k race!