By Kate Atwood
Just before submitting my original column for this month, I received the sad news that our community had lost one of its most courageous and generous young spirits. I wanted to take this opportunity and honor the life of Summer Dale, a Living by Giving hero and someone who will certainly continue to impact the lives of thousands of others for years to come.
At 16 years old, Summer had become a celebrity of sorts; the kind of celebrity we need to have around us more. In a year’s time, she became publicly known for her courage, authenticity and, most importantly, her generosity. She was a young, beautiful woman known for her illuminating grace in the face of a devastating medical diagnosis.
It was October 2011 when Summer and her family received the news that an MRI had revealed a rare cancerous tumor. At an age when most kids’ biggest worry is passing their driver’s test, Summer faced an unimaginable diagnosis that thrust her life into a new paradigm of purpose. Summer optimistically took on some of the field’s most rigorous treatments at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and MD Anderson in Houston.
What is most remarkable, however, is that her fight didn’t just focus on herself. Throughout the year she was dealing with her own illness, she founded and grew an organization called Team Summer.
By raising money through the sales of purple Team Summer wristbands and individual donations, Summer helped several young cancer patients make their fight a little bit easier. From gas cards and help with transportation to chemotherapy treatments and a professional fashion photo-shoot to help a peer feel beautiful in spite of her hair loss, all wishes were fulfilled to bring joy to others facing the similar challenges that Summer had come to recognize through her own journey.
Unfortunately, Summer lost her battle with cancer last month. Her life doesn’t end there though. Her organization will continue to do the work that empowered Summer throughout her own battle. To me, this is the triumph of her life: Summer sought the understanding of her struggles in a unique way by helping others and that allowed her to experience her own legacy during her lifetime. That’s a lesson we should all take away; that’s the stuff that makes heroes. Summer Dale is certainly one of mine.
Her close friend and mentor, Haley Kilpatrick, says, “Summer taught me so much about what is important in life. She was truly resilient. I know her legacy will live on through the countless people who were impacted by her efforts.”
I completely agree.
You can make a donation to Team Summer at TeamSummer.org.
