Why I'm Running for Cancer Research

Borrowed

"You only live once, but if you work it right, once is enough."

From "Ultramarathon Man" by Dean Karnazes [Book]

Learned

After running my first marathon last year, I knew I wanted to take on another running event. This November, I’ll be running my first official half marathon at the Philadelphia Marathon to raise money for the American Association for Cancer Research. Since sharing on social, it has been incredible to see family, friends, clients, and even people I’ve only recently met support this cause.

My first real memory of cancer’s impact was losing my only aunt, Eileen (pictured above), when I was 7. She had fought and won before, so as a kid, I didn’t understand the full weight of what was happening. But when she passed, it was like a bright light went out in our family. As I’ve grown older, it’s saddened me to realize that I don’t think my Uncle Steve ever fully recovered or “moved on” before we lost him decades later. In the years following Aunt Eileen’s passing, we found ways to keep her memory alive and fight against this disease.

At Easter, we launched a little DIY rocket with a note telling her we missed her, an experience I can
still see so vividly today. We showed up for Relay For Life year after year. We donated a brick at the local playground. These were gestures of love, but nothing could bring her back.

Since then, I’ve seen cancer affect so many people I care about. Family. Friends. People close to them. Every story feels like a punch to the gut, no matter how many times you hear another variation, no matter how far removed you are from the person affected. That is what made the outpouring of support and comments for my run so powerful. Many of the people who donated were not the first I would have expected. It reinforced for me how deeply this disease connects so many and that nearly everyone has their own story with this disease, even if it is not a direct one.

A few weeks ago, when Dana was traveling, I was home with Mylo and our little shih tzu/toy fox terrier rescue, Gizmo. After putting Mylo to bed, I plopped on the couch to zone out after a long day and watch a few YouTube videos before bed. I clicked on a video of a young, cheerful songwriter named Jane Marczewski, known as Nightbirde, auditioning for America’s Got Talent. I rarely watch these shows, (probably because I know how orchestrated they can be, having appeared on AGT at age 18) but something about this video drew me in.

Jane introduced herself and, after a few questions, shared that she was living with cancer. She then performed her song, “It’s Okay,” written about her journey over the last year of her life. The performance (watch here) was full of hope, and she walked off with Simon’s Golden Buzzer. And yet I found myself sitting there with this heaviness I couldn’t shake. Not going to lie, I was so glad to have Gizmo cuddled up beside me.

After a few minutes of silence, I googled her. My fear was confirmed. She had withdrawn from the show as her health declined and passed away in February 2022 at just 31. Alone on the couch, I felt the weight turn to emptiness. If I was this impacted as a stranger, the thought of the loss her family and friends felt was heartbreaking. I thought of my Aunt Eileen and the countless stories I’ve heard where cancer shows up without warning, upending lives.

It is moments like this that inspired me to run this race. I know raising $1,000 will not solve everything, but playing even a small role in supporting the American Association for Cancer Research feels meaningful. What I love about AACR is its focus on funding groundbreaking research to find ways to continually improve outcomes for those impacted. Founded in 1907, it is the largest and oldest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research.

I started training a few weeks ago, which now means I run three times a week in addition to regular strength training. Some runs focus on sprints at a target pace, while others are long and steady to build endurance. My weekly mileage currently sits around 20 miles.

As always, making time to exercise or get outside for a run is never easy, but what’s special now is how running has taken on new meaning. When the miles get tough because I didn’t get enough sleep or I wake up wishing I could stay in bed, it helps to remember the purpose behind it all.

My goal is to raise $1,000, and we’re not far! I’m hopeful we can surpass it. If you’d like to support, you can make a donation here. Any amount is welcome.

Thank you to everyone who has supported my run so far, and a special thank you to my wife, Dana, for sharing her birthday weekend with the race and cheering me on in this process.

See my posts on on Instagram / LinkedIn.

Thought

What’s a cause or commitment in my life right now where I can dedicate effort beyond myself and trust that even the smallest actions will create a ripple effect?