Stand Up To Cancer

Why am I running?

Because when I see a "bad guy" that has hurt my friends and family, I want to chase that villain down.

I'm running because cancer isn't going to slow down on its own. Cancer doesn't take vacations or go to the movies. Cancer doesn't care that you are getting married next week, or that you just landed a promotion at work, or that you were accepted into your top choice for college. Cancer doesn't care that your wife just had a baby. Hell, it doesn't even care if you're human...I'm running for my eight-pound dog who, believe it or not, is a breast cancer survivor. I'm running for my 90-year-old grandmother who is also a breast cancer survivor and still bakes the best lemon cake in the world. I'm running in support of the SU2C researchers who, in their own way, are running as fast as they can in their labs to find treatments that work.

I'm running because we can't sit on the sidelines and wait for someone else to run for us, because we can't let another minute go by without doing something, anything. I consider myself very lucky; cancer hasn't claimed the life of a best friend or close family member of mine...yet. And I know all too well that it is a game of numbers. If I don't run now to help fight cancer, then one day I will lose someone I love. It could even be me.

By Mary Pomerantz

Who will you run for on July 11th? Register now for the MLB All Star 5K and Fun Run.