Today when I leave for Hopkinton, I will be wearing my Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge singlet. On the back of my singlet are the names of three people whose battles with cancer remind me of what race I am really running in today. I run to honor the memory of my Aunt Nancy. I know that although she lost her battle, she would be proud to know that I am doing what I can in hopes that others may be cured. I run in honor of Grammie. She is the strength that holds my family together, and the bravest grandmother around. I run in honor of Brandon. I know that no one in their entire lifetime should have to face what Brandon faced in his childhood.
Running a marathon is hard. Fighting cancer is harder.
As I have said before, the battles these three individuals have fought, with cancer are not unique ones. Cancer attacks everyone around us – parents, loved ones, siblings, and children. The back of my friend Kristan’s singlet last year said “In Honor of Too Many.” Like Kristan, unfortunately there is not enough room on our singlets for the names of every person that we know touched by cancer. In addition to running in honor of the people on the back of our singlets, I also running in honor of all of your loved ones who are currently battling, have battled, or have unfortunately lost their fight to cancer.
And so with that, I am off to run in the Boston Marathon. See you at the finish line.
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