Race for a cure :: Susan G. Komen

Statistically speaking, 39.6 percent of us will be diagnosed with some sort of cancer in our lifetime.  This is a vicious disease that does not discriminate against gender or race, social economic stature or sexual preference.  It destroys lives and kills our loved ones.  Chances are if you’re reading this blog post you or someone you care for has been burdened with this devastating disease.

I lost my father to cancer a few years ago at the age of 55.  My dad fought a great fight but at the end he could battle not longer.  I like to think that the cancer didn’t win but that my dad was tired of fighting and just wanted to go home.  I felt, and still feel like I was robbed.  My one month old daughter will only know stories of her grandpa and how amazing of a man he was.  A man that loved his family and would do anything to make them happy.

That’s what makes this blog post so personal to me.

Cancer will be a battle we can win.  Every year we develop and pioneer new treatments and medications that help us prevail with this momentous fight.  At the forefront of breast cancer awareness, education and treatment is Susan G. Komen.  This is an organization that I was more than happy to donate a few hours to help document their yearly “race for the cure.”  The race raises money and awareness for screenings, diagnoses and treatments for men and women with breast cancer throughout the San diego area.

What an inspiring event this race was.  The amount of love and hope connecting every single person who was there was could be felt as thousands of people flooded in to Balboa park.  Some there because they were supporting a loved one who was in treatment, others there because they had fought and survived.  Hearing their stories and seeing the faces of the survivors brought a warmth and strength to many peoples hearts.  This illness can be beaten and one day, cancer will be no more.