Thank you for supporting Cancer League of Colorado! I have the honor of being the "Race Honoree" for the Race4Research this year and would like to extend an invitation to participate by registering and/or donating. Let's help make this the best year yet for the 100% volunteer organization's fundraiser for the cure for cancer!
Here's a bit of my story...
“What did we say was the worst-case scenario?” questioned my doctor, and I quickly
answered “cancer”, and started to cry. I always scoff at the fact my doctor made me say the
big “C” word, seemingly diagnosing myself. When I was 31, my son was still breastfeeding,
and I had a 3-year-old daughter. Clearly, I was “too young” to get breast cancer, right?!
Thankfully, I’ve been able to watch those toddlers grow into amazing adults, to be very
proud of as they now serve their country in the Army National Guard.
Cancer doesn’t discriminate. For some, like me, it’s hereditary. For others, like my bonus
mom and sister, or my friend that just passed 7.7.25, it can be genetic, environmental, life
choices, or completely random. No matter the reasons it affects some, and not others, it
has a ripple effect on the one with cancer, as well as those close to them, and beyond.
Although mine was hereditary, I’d not actually seen any of my family go through it, as they
don’t live near me. I didn’t really know what to expect. I didn’t anticipate the support I
received from people outside my presumed support circle, though! There were so many
people blessing our family in so many ways during that time.
Something else I didn’t foresee was how it truly would change the direction of my life and
my attitude. It changed my desire to live not just an ordinary, but an EXTRA-ordinary life-
living it to the fullest. I wasn’t going to be afraid to take chances and learn new things. After
almost a year consisting of 13 chemo and 25 radiation treatments, a bilateral mastectomy,
hysterectomy, oophorectomy, and reconstruction, I started trying new things and started to
say “I love you” more often, just because. Eighteen (18) years later, I continue to celebrate
my birthday the entire month of June, celebrating my milestone 50th, with a clean bill of
health. Every birthday is truly a blessing to celebrate!
In honor of my family and friends that have gone through their own battles, and most
importantly, in memory of those we’ve lost, let’s work together to continue supporting an
amazing, all volunteer, organization that’s clearly supporting the mission of finding the cure to ALL cancers.
