Unlike most Dana Farber patients, my Mom's cancer story is a short one. It was heartbreaking as she passed only 4 months after her initial diagnosis less than 2 years ago. But viewing it with a glass half full (as she instilled in us) - it's left her friends and family with 99.9% of the memories about her as an energetic, positive, and incredibly loving mom, wife, daughter, sister, and friend.
I don't think this is the forum to tell her full life story, but I did want to highlight a few special points:
1. My Mom always put other people first. And I know that she would be beyond proud that we're raising money to help other people and their families.
2. My Mom LOVED running - she ran over 25 marathons (most of which were Boston). Every year our whole family would drive into Boston to watch her and the Cimarron Lane street crew as they journeyed the 26.2 course. We'd bounce around to 2-3 spots to catch her multiple times, and at every stop she'd swing over to hug and kiss us - it's wild that when she was diagnosed, she was actually training for her 26th (NYC marathon).
3. My Mom passed along her passion for running to her family and friends. Since passing, I know all my siblings think about my mom every time we take a jog - whether it's a 1 mile run, or Ben knocking down an ultra marathon, that's when we're all closest to her now.
4. Inspired by watching her run the Boston Marathon, in 2019 I raised money for the Home Base Foundation (supporting wounded veterans) and received a number for Boston. My Mom gave me the advice, "start slow then go slower" - very sound advice that went in one ear then right out the other. On race day, I shot out of the gate and got to the 13.1 mark feeling great. Then in the home stretch I may have pushed just a little too hard and pulled a straight out-of-a-movie classic move = fully passed out right into the crowd at mile 25.2 (1 mile from the finish line) - still think my mom could have coached me better :).
Fast forward 6 hours - I woke up in the hospital with Rach, my Mom and Dad, and in-laws standing over me. Although I'd scared the hell out of all of them - esp Rach, sorry :), I think my Mom and Dad had a little bit of a smile they were hiding, it's one that I'd seen before growing up where i'd take things "a little" too far or try to go "too big" and completely eat it. I don't know what they were thinking but my guess was first, "f'ing idiot for not listening to the advice" - my Mom never swore, so that's actually what she would have said in her head, I'm not just censoring it, and second, that they raised their kids to take risks and attack challenges with a chip on our shoulder attitude. Sometimes you succeed, sometimes you crash and burn. Either way, you tried, and you charge forward.
I'm raising and running in my Mom's memory because I know how much this would mean to her on so many levels.
I wanted to sincerely thank everyone in advance for your support for my Mom and this incredible foundation. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute provides expert, compassionate, and equitable care to children, adults, and their families, while advancing the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, cure, and prevention of cancer and related diseases.
Love,
Kevin
