Love Theme Relay For Life

Keys to beating cancer are in faith, family and friends

© The Mercury/JRC. All rights reserved. This image cannot be reproduced without permission

Kevin Hoffman/The Mercury

© The Mercury/JRC. All rights reserved. This image cannot be reproduced without permission

Kevin Hoffman/The Mercury February 17th, 2005 … around 10:40 that morning, I received a telephone call that my sister — who had been battling cancer for four years — had died. Exactly four hours and five minutes later, I listened to a doctor tell me I had stage four cancer of the throat and neck … listened to him tell me "It doesn't look good." I thought, "Isn't it funny how a short 'before-I-go-to-sleep' prayer, your mother's and father's care, and all those doctors and nurses get you through all the sickness, get you through all the injuries. I remembered smiling then, after admitting to myself that cancer — especially stage four cancer — was going to be a bit more than a high fever, aching muscle or broken bone. Every day, from Day One, my fiancée — Kathy — was there for me, making sure I took my medications, making sure I had the right formula for my feeding tube, making sure I was hooked up for my overnight feedings, and she was up with me throughout many nights I became ill, and up first thing in the morning to clean up all the messes I made. It's been six years, four months and 11 days since I was told I had stage four cancer and given little hope of beating it, and there isn't a day that goes by I don't think of all the caring doctors and nurses. It's been five years, nine months and 10 days since I underwent surgery and told I was cancer free, and there isn't a single day that goes by that I don't think of my faith, family and friends.

© The Mercury/JRC. All rights reserved. This image cannot be reproduced without permission

Kevin Hoffman/The Mercury

© The Mercury/JRC. All rights reserved. This image cannot be reproduced without permission

Kevin Hoffman/The Mercury February 17th, 2005 … around 10:40 that morning, I received a telephone call that my sister — who had been battling cancer for four years — had died. Exactly four hours and five minutes later, I listened to a doctor tell me I had stage four cancer of the throat and neck … listened to him tell me "It doesn't look good." I thought, "Isn't it funny how a short 'before-I-go-to-sleep' prayer, your mother's and father's care, and all those doctors and nurses get you through all the sickness, get you through all the injuries. I remembered smiling then, after admitting to myself that cancer — especially stage four cancer — was going to be a bit more than a high fever, aching muscle or broken bone. Every day, from Day One, my fiancée — Kathy — was there for me, making sure I took my medications, making sure I had the right formula for my feeding tube, making sure I was hooked up for my overnight feedings, and she was up with me throughout many nights I became ill, and up first thing in the morning to clean up all the messes I made. Every day, from Day One, my daughters Brenda and Alison either called me or stopped by to see me — their visits made my heart smile. And my grandson Dane, four years old and full of life, gave me a dose of medicine during our Fourth of July family picnic that energized me on a day I may have been at my worst and has inspired me, to this day, to continue fighting cancer. It's been six years, four months and 11 days since I was told I had stage four cancer and given little hope of beating it, and there isn't a day that goes by I don't think of all the caring doctors and nurses. It's been five years, nine months and 10 days since I underwent surgery and told I was cancer free, and there isn't a single day that goes by that I don't think of my faith, family and friends.

...Just Me and My Running Shoes...: Relay for Life

For those of you who don't know me...hi...my name is Karen. I'm a Disney nut and have found running as my passion here recently again. Nothing made more sense to me than to put those two together, so I signed up to run the 2010 Walt Disney World Half Marathon and in January, I completed that goal! I love to run. I love the feeling it gives me! I love how it shows you that you can do things you never thought possible (for me, a Half Marathon and now a Marathon). This blog will be about my running journey.

Because of Blake, #41, Blake Christiaan Laforce. a Christian Athlete's Life Purpose.

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