
There isn't much of my life where I don't remember being directly affected by cancer. The first memory being losing my step grandfather when I was young to malignant skin cancer that metastasized.
Our family has dedicated ourselves too honoring and remembering all of our loved ones impacted by cancer. We have walked in the Boston Marathon JFW since 2008 to raise desperately needed funds for research. My Dad always walked the full marathon route to honor all that Declan was going through in his fight. He would say "it's easier to walk a marathon than to fight cancer." I hate that my Dad had to find that out first hand. But he was proud to help Declan, who is now a long-term survivor of his cancer, and so many others through cancer research.
On October 2 we will walk. With every step I will remember my Dad, and recall our time doing charity events together in the past, where he used to say “my daughter gets me into all of these things” with a mix of pride and love in his voice; and I will cherish my son, with every step.