Racing for the Cure

It starts with a story and then ends at the finish line. For some it begins with feeling a lump while showering or getting that unwanted call. For me it's a loving Aunt, a strong mother, and my own scare. My Aunt Rachel found a lump in her breast. It was cancer. A fellow MOPS mom was having complications after giving birth; it was breast cancer. I had a large mass in my left breast. What could it be? For each of us the road was uncertain.

Aunt Rachel found herself having many chemo treatments followed by a full mastectomy. She is in remission now.

The MOPS mom fought a hard battle. They didn't discover the cancer until it was too late. She died. I remember reading the email from her family. The tears rolled down my face as I imagined her husband and her three small children without her. It was surreal,  a young mother dying of breast cancer. It wasn't a disease for the old or the unhealthy, it effected everyone.

My scare began with a cyst that wouldn't stop growing. I scheduled to have it surgically removed. When the doctors operated they discovered it was more than a cyst, but a large mass. A biopsy was done, but thankfully it was benign. A scar on my left breast reminds me of that scare plus yearly visits to my doctor.

Last year was my first time running in the Komen Triangle Race for the Cure event. It's not just a race; it's a celebration for the women in our lives who have been effected by breast cancer. Some of them survivors and  others who fought courageous battles to the end, yet for both of them a time of remembrance.

Pink and white tents cover the front field at Meredith College, a bounce house in one corner and stage with a band performing on the other. Runners in pink shirts, tutus and knee high socks crowd around the starting line. It's a sea of pink. The adrenaline is rising and the gun shot is heard and off we go. I remember thinking about Aunt Rachel, the MOPS mom and myself during the run. They stayed the course on their own race, and now as if the baton was handed to me, I would carry their name and their memory to the finish line.

Yes, someday soon; there will be a cure to breast cancer!

*This year (June 14, 2014) I'm teaming up with Vend Raleigh Mompreneurs and organizing a team of moms, sisters, and friends. We are also partnering with local businesses to offer team t-shirts. Visit Team Vend Raleigh Mompreneurs to join the team. Email Rachel to become or learn more about becoming a sponsor.