Cancer Sucks! Here's How to Make it Suck a Little Less

Have you ever heard of Multiple Myeloma?

Here is a little bit about this second most common blood cancer from the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) website:

The disease starts in the plasma cells in bone marrow. When the plasma cells become malignant, they create a defective protein that can grow out of control and crowd out the normal cells that help fight infection and disease. When the bad protein cells move into bone, they cause tumors. If the malignant cells form a tumor, it is called myeloma. If multiple tumors are formed, the disease is called multiple myeloma. 

Cancer sucks! But it sucks most when it directly affects you or your loved ones. My friend Jaimee's mom lives with Multiple Myeloma, so she can attest to this. 

If you've read my blog for any length of time, you've heard me mention Jaimee before. She's one of my besties and my running buddy. So when Jaimee found out the MMRF hosts an annual 5K to raise funds for research and honor those with Multiple Myeloma, we signed up! 

The first time we ran this race together was back in October of 2013. If they had one in 2014, we were not aware of it, but I got a flyer in the mail about the one for this year, so I was quick to let Jaimee know about it. We made plans to run it in honor of her mom - Diana - who battles this cancer every day. I was excited to run this one again with my friend!

It was a beautiful day! 

There was a good crowd gathered to run. Before the race began, everyone had an opportunity to sign a board honoring the person or persons they were running for.  Jaimee got to sign her mom's name to the board.

This is a great 5K! It was run very well, and things went off without a hitch. I was able to run it in 35:30, and I felt great afterwards!  The best part about this 5K was being there to support Jaimee and run in honor of her mom.

As my friend said after upon looking at our post race pic, "This ain't pretty but neither is cancer!"

Readers, if you have a friend/family member battling cancer or if you have a friend who has a family member with this disease (like I do), let me ask you to find a way to encourage him or her. Find a way to show your support.  Run a race, complete a walk, or donate money to cancer research.  Or something!  In this way, you can make cancer suck a little less by just letting these heroes know they are not alone.  

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity" (Proverbs 17:17).

Cancer does suck, but cancer sufferers, survivors, and those that love them, you rock!  You are an inspiration - Diana and Jaimee!

Today's forget-me-not: Those living with the reality of cancer.

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