Family Stories
The Lorances Travel 1300 Miles to Reconnect
By Dawn Carroll
A family of four straps on helmets, tightens life-jackets, and pushes into the Adventure Sports Center International’s manmade course to battle whitewater. The Lorance family must work together – and get their paddles in sync – to complete the course.
It’s hard to believe for the past couple years this family found itself sometimes spending entire months apart. Gliding down waterfalls in the mountains of Western Maryland, the family – who came from Dallas, Texas for the chance to participate in a respite trip - seems whole again.
In 2007, while receiving treatment for rhabdomyosarcoma – a fast-growing, malignant tumor of the soft-tissue - at Medical City Dallas Hospital, Brandon Lorance, 8, and his family discovered the Believe In Tomorrow website.
Believe In Tomorrow gives families the choice of visiting a mountain respite facility like The Children’s House on Wisp Mountain in McHenry, Md., or reconnecting at one of three beach facilities. The family never visited any mountains, in Texas, Maryland, or otherwise. The Lorances saw a mountain trip as an opportunity to experience respite in a completely different setting while encouraging Brandon’s love for the outdoors.
The family knew they’d have to spend money to fly 1300 miles to Maryland, but they also knew they needed to make the trip happen. This was an amazing opportunity to reclaim their family time.
Like many families dealing with cancer, Brandon and his mother, Suzette, spent long periods of time apart from his father and older brother during Brandon’s treatment. Just before the trip to the mountains they were separated for a month while Brandon received radiation therapy.
At the resort, the family found a rhythm and completed the beginner’s whitewater rafting course that day. Beyond rafting, they experienced a variety of firsts together, visiting Husky Power Dogsledding and zipping down the Wisp Resort mountain coaster. Brandon also learned to fly fish on his own.
Every evening, as night set in, the exhausted family retreated to the log cabin home to listen to the crackling fire and talk about the day’s activities. Near the warm glow of the fireplace, no work, school, or medical schedules could interrupt them. In addition to rafting, fishing, or coasting, spending those evenings together refortified and rebooted the Lorance’s family life.
“Everything is at your own pace,” says Suzette. “It is the most relaxing and beautiful place.”