Three years ago I ran my first half marathon. I received an email from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society about joining Team in Training and thought “Why not?”. (It’s all in the details that I decided this some time around 3 a.m. when I usually come up with my next great adventure.)

It was that year that I started to find my peace about being a cancer survivor.

It’s hard to explain something you are still making sense of. And for me, even twelve years after being diagnosed, I am still learning and coping with the good, the bad and the ugly of being a cancer survivor.

It wasn’t long after beginning my training that I found my rhythm with running. It was just my mind and my feet. What started out as finding my running rhythm slowly turned into me just finding my own rhythm. Running became my way for me to clear the static. I can set my pace. I am in control.

Fast forward to my fellowship with the Ulman Cancer Fund right after college. (You may be thinking why would someone struggling with being a cancer survivor work there? This is when the “why not” mantra comes in.)

At UCF I was fortunate to meet some of the most amazing people you can find. There were many tears, laughs, lessons learned and shared. I helped others find their rhythm while they continued to help me find mine. It was through this unstoppable community that I began to embrace survivorship.

So, this October I’ll be running this 26.2 adventure with the Ulman Cancer Fund to raise awareness of the 70,000 young adults that are diagnosed with cancer each year. As the runs are becomming harder, it is still how I find my rhythm when I feel a little shakey. And it's those brief moments without the static that the UCF community helps you find.

I hope that you will join me in raising awareness of the young adult cancer community and to help support the Ulman Cancer Fund's mission to make sure they can continue to provide resources and services to young adults and their families.

The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults changes lives by creating a community of support for young adults and their loved ones as they fight cancer and embrace survivorship. With your support, the Ulman Cancer Fund is able to provide multiple support services and resources for the young adult cancer community including:

• Cancer to 5K - a free, progressive, 12-week run/walk program designed to reintroduce cancer survivors to physical activity.
• Helping Others Fight - a volunteer program that provides basic services such as transportation to and from treatment, yard work, home repairs and delivery of chemo care bags to local cancer patients and their families so they can focus their energy on their battle with cancer and their well-being.
• Patient Navigation - a free program (onsite at cancer centers and remotely through our office) that ensures no young adult ever faces cancer alone. We provide one-on-one support and resources to young adults and their families to help them manage the cancer experience and long-term cancer survival.
• Scholarships - a financial assistance program to help young adults continue their education after being affected by cancer through their own diagnosis or the diagnosis of a loved one.

​Thank you for all your time and effort to help make these programs and our mission possible!