Marie with her mother in 2006. |
“Cancer took my mom away from my dad, my sister, my brother and me,” writes Marie, a mother herself, on her donation page for the VCU Massey Cancer Research Center. Her mom, a non-smoker, passed away from lung cancer in October 2008. Three months later, Marie became a runner.
Marie’s running has always been tied to fundraising, which you can read more about in her post HERE on her new blog, Why She Runs. She says she’s surprised by how many friends and friends of friends have been touched by cancer. “Most of them are not runners, so I figured I would run for them in memory of their loved ones.”
Marie is raising money for the VCU Massey Cancer Research Center as they were of great support to her family when her mom was fighting lung cancer. She is raising the funds in association with the Monument Avenue 10K, her FIRST 10K, which she will run on April 2nd!
Marie will be crossing the finish line for more than just herself, though. She is asking people to donate to honor someone affected by cancer, and she will wear their name(s) to the finish line. She’s just $25 away from her goal!
Check out Marie’s page HERE to donate for someone you know.
(If you donate to Marie’s cause before 11:59 p.m. Sunday, send me an e-mail to let me know for an extra entry into my NUUN giveaway.)
“There is something about training for a race and running that race for someone you lost to cancer,” says Marie. “It’s a triumph in the end: You finish the race after working so hard, and at the same time you keep the memory of your loved one alive when you dedicate all that hard work to them. That’s what I do on each race run even if I don’t raise money. I think of my mom.”
And, of course, last week’s fund-raisers could still use your help. Go HERE to link to their causes.
Fundraising Fridays highlight people raising money for a cause through running. If you or someone you know would like to be highlighted, please e-mail me at kerrie (at) sanitydepartment (dot) com or contact me via my Facebook page at Facebook.com/momvsmarathon.