A friend of mine, Candice, was diagnosed with melanoma over the summer. I don't know if you remember one of Kaira's favorite kindergarten classmates, Jocelyn. But in addition to being my friend, Candice is also Jocelyn's mom. Candice was pregnant, and went in to the hospital in late June to have her baby. While there, she had them check out a lump on her neck she had noticed just a couple weeks before. She ended up leaving the hospital with both a beautiful baby boy, and a diagnosis of metastatic melanoma. About metastatic (stage 4) melanoma... "This cancer is generally considered incurable. The five year survival rate is less than 10%. The median survival is 6-12 months."
Needless to say, this diagnosis was tragic beyond belief. Candice is a beautiful, strong, educated woman. In addition to being a great, involved mom, she was also just about to finish up on earning her Masters degree. So before I continue with the story, please add Candice to your prayers. She should be enjoying her new baby boy and not battling cancer, and she deserves every bit of support possible.
She has been traveling back and forth to MD Anderson for treatments with her husband while her parents have come to help take over care of Jocelyn and new baby Matthew. She is doing the strongest chemo they have to offer. She was scheduled to do a total of 6 treatments (spending a week at the hospital for these, followed by 1-2 wks home to recover, then repeat).
Just days after hearing about Candice's diagnosis, while wishing there was something more I could do for her, I was sent an email much like many others we as medical students get, which ask us to volunteer for a million different causes. This one was looking for volunteers to run a race called "Miles for Melanoma" to raise funds for Melanoma Research. I felt it was a sign, and immediately responded that I would participate, despite my uncertainty in being able to run the 13.1 mile half marathon I had just pledged myself to. Candice used to be a runner, so this race hit home on more than one level... I was going to run because she couldn't.
I am very happy to update that...
1. I finished the race! All 13.1 miles of it!!!
2. Our team of 8 runners and 3 organizers have raised close to $3000 so far (and still have donations coming in!) to send off to the Melanoma Research Foundation
and most importantly ...
3. Candice has just finished the last of the 6 treatments, and so far, the response to treatment has been far better than the doctor expected! She is now home again and enjoying some downtime from the chemo (which would make her sick and weak for days after). She will be returning to MD Anderson the week after Thanksgiving for scans to see where things are at, and the results will determine the next plan of action. For now, it's just wait and pray.
These are the pictures from my adventure...
I had to pick up my race packet the day before the race. Included in it was my race bib that I was to wear during the race. When I saw this, the reality hit me... I was going to have to run 13 miles!! Yikes!
Our group's table at the race - we gave out free samples of sunscreen to any who wanted them, and also info about melanoma and other things. (The ribbon/runner logo was my design! Ended up being used on our banner and all of our t-shirts, etc.)
My Shirt
Showing off the back of my shirt, right before the race started. The shirt that I wore for the race itself, I designed myself - the front design is the very top picture on this page (I changed into the 'team' shirt after the race for the group photo)... And Kaira showing off her 'race' shirt...
The names on my shirt...
The first name is my friend, Candice.
The other name... Jocelyn's teacher heard that I was doing this race for Candice. She wrote me a beautiful letter in which she said that her own mother had passed away battling at MD Anderson, and asked if I could run in her memory as well, which of course I was honored to do.
At the starting line...
It turned out to be a much more difficult trail that I had expected - this particular trail was an all-terrain rugged trail through backwoods Louisiana. They say that on this particular trail, even seasoned runners shouldn't expect to make their best time... just to finish. If only I had known ahead of time! These pictures do the trail no justice (the race cameramen set up where the land was fairly flat). In most places, the trail was wide enough for only one runner to pass at a time, and wound up and down steep hills and was covered with tree roots, rocks, leaves, etc. 
The FINISH LINE!!!!
Kaira & I minutes after I had finished running, and a group shot of most of the runners and organizers (minus one runner who'd already left, and two who were still on the track)
The Results
I finished #20 for the females doing the half-marathon... and #66 overall... not to shabby! :)
And my metal for finishing...
