Taking on Cancer, Mile by Mile

We all know that feeling of doom when things get so busy, it seems like there is no way out. Being a full-time mom keeps us busy enough not to mention being a wife, housekeeper, employee, and cook, just to name a few. I often know that I am overextending myself with all of the things I try to do.

For this reason, I have decided to take on another adventure. Am I crazy? Yes, but it is for good reason. A few weeks ago, a close friend of ours, Adam Eves was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. At 29 years-old, his entire world changed with one phone call.

The tumor is located in his chest and is a very aggressive tumor. In fact, his doctor has already spoken at a seminar about how severe his situation is and how fast growing the tumor has been. He has since completed two weeks of radiation and started chemotherapy treatment. It was his first of five to seven treatments over a time period of six months.

I had been training for a half marathon in January and decided to do some good with this at the same time. In honor of Adam, I have joined the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) and Team in Training for the half marathon event. I will now be running the half marathon for Adam and to raise money for cancer. The services that LLS provides ranges from research to financial support for cancer patients and has helped others I know personally in the past. Additionally, our team has honorary members, and they are both children with cancer. This struck home even more, as a mother. I knew right then that it was a perfect fit.

I have found myself wondering why I have decided to take on yet another endeavor. Do I really need to dedicate more time to something outside of my family and job? The answer is yes. As a mother, a sister, a friend, and a health educator, I know the severity of cancer and the effects it has on everyone involved. I want to not only raise money to bring us closer to a cure, but I also want to raise awareness of the types of cancers and warning signs. Signs that may one day save someone else's life.

What are the causes and issues that you find important in your own lives? Do you ever think that you alone couldn't make that much of a difference? You can! We all can and I am going to do it mile by mile (for 13.1 miles), dollar by dollar. I wonder how long it will take me...

Join the fight to help those like Adam!