For the Tata's

On May 16th, the husband, tyler, my two best friends, my neighbor, my sister and I joined 46,000 other people in Columbus for the annual "Race for the Cure". It was an amazing day, the weather held and the sea of white and pink shirts, many of whom did not receive a shirt because the number of registrants surpassed the organizers expectations, was a sight to be seen. This year we set a record for the number of participants, largely in part due to the loss of a young local anchorwoman to breast cancer in October. For anyone who has participated in the past, you know it is a highly emotional day for all parties involved, because breast cancer touches everyone.



As many of you know, for my sister and I this is a cause very close to our hearts. Our mother, diagnosed in 1998, survived her 2 year battle with breast cancer, thanks in part to the awesome cancer treatment she received at the James Cancer Center at OSU. We use to walk this race every year after her diagnosis and she was never so proud as the year we walked the race and she wore her pink "Survivor" shirt.



However, in 2001 she was diagnosed with advanced stage ovarian cancer. She passed away on December 7th, 2002.

When we walk we raise money, we raise awareness, we unite behind a common purpose. Not just for breast cancer but for all cancers. We walk in memory of her, but also in celebration of those who have won their battle, and in hopes that some day, we'll find a cure for cancer.