Race for the Cure

This year marks 7 years my mom has been cancer free!

In 2001, the year she was diagnosed, I signed up for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in New York City and participated in my first 5K. It was such an inspiring, emotional and empowering event that I have participated in it nearly every year since. It’s an amazing day – supporters line the street cheering on race-goers, and the number of women wearing pink race shirts (the sign of a breast cancer survivor) is both shocking and inspiring. These women have been through so much and here they are – some with bald heads, some needing assistance to walk, some completely recovered – but all with smiles.

On June 14th, for the first time ever my mom and dad participated. I’ve been telling my mom about it what it’s like for years, but within minutes of getting there, she got pretty choked up after seeing a young girl with a sign on her back saying “In Memory of Mom.” But the good news is, the percentage of “in memory” signs was quite small compared to the “in celebration of” signs. I am so thankful that I’m one of the lucky ones who gets to wear an “in celebration of Mom” sign. And I promise to bring my girls to this event when they get a bit older so they too can see how strong these women are and get a taste of what their grandmother went through.