Running For A Cause (Cancer Research Fundraiser)

My Dream: Ever since I was a little kid I dreamed of running a marathon. Weird, I know. Most kids don’t dream about physically torturing themselves for hours on end. Which is why I waited so long to finally do one. A big part of running a marathon for me was that I wanted to shine a light on an issue or cause that I supported. So I when I signed up for the Austin Marathon I decided to raise money for the Huntsman Cancer Foundation.

The Inspiration: After researching different causes, I thought about my cousin's wife Heidi. She had recently been diagnosed with Well Differentiated Papillary Mesothelioma. It is a rare form of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a malignant tumor that is caused by inhaled asbestos fibers and forms in the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or heart. It is a fairly rare cancer in the US. This means the cancer Heidi has is a rare form of an already rare cancer that has very limited research done on it. With such a difficult diagnosis and little to no information on the disease, you would think that she would be discouraged, but she was ready to fight. Heidi is what I would call a “Bad Ass”. Despite being in the fight for her life she still tries to live a normal life. She enjoys going on hikes, camping, and working out. Also, she even ran a half marathon. She has been an example to me that no matter the circumstance you can achieve your goals. This is why I got the courage to run a marathon and to help shine a light on cancer research.

The Huntsman Cancer Foundation: When Heidi got her Diagnosis there weren’t many places to go. The Huntsman was the closest place that could help her with her rare disease, and despite not having a 100% game plan to tackle her cancer they helped start her on the treatment path. The Huntsman Cancer Institute, which is partially funded through the Huntsmans Cancer Foundation, is a key part of leading the charge in cancer research nationally. The Huntsmans Cancer Institute is dedicated to understanding and preventing all types of cancers. They currently have 200 clinical trials and 206 research teams that study all aspects of cancer. This includes rare cancers like Heidi’s.

Why donate?: Even though the Huntsman Cancer Institute is paving the way, there is still a lot of research to be done for cancers like Heidi’s. Without a substantial amount of money, they will not be able to put as much research into the rare forms of cancer that still affect so many lives in the US and around the world. This is why I am raising money and asking people to donate. Each donation helps the fight for each and every patient, regardless of the type of cancer, to be able to continue.

The Race: The marathon takes place in Austin, Texas on February 20th. I am starting off the fundraiser with an initial donation of $200 dollars and if we hit the $7,500 before I finish the race I will donate an additional $300.

More information about Huntsman Cancer Foundation: https://healthcare.utah.edu/huntsmancancerinstitute/about-us/

More about Heidi's Journey: https://goseeadoctor.blogspot.com