Why I chose to run for Dana-Farber

I'm running in honor of my brilliant husband, Hans and in memory of my amazing aunt, Chris.

Hans was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) on August 11th, 1999. AML is a cancer that starts inside bone marrow, the soft tissue inside bones that helps form blood cells. The cancer grows from cells that would normally turn into white blood cells.

Acute means the disease develops quickly.

After rounds of Chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, Hans is cancer free! And has been since January 9th, 2000.

My aunt, Chrissy, was diagnosed with cervical cancer on February 7th, 2002. After two and a half years, her battle came to a tearful end on July 23rd, 2004. Those who knew her knew how truly amazing she was! I can remember times when I was a kid when Chrissy would babysit for my sister and me. We'd either end up getting our hair cut and going home with crooked bangs, or we'd make some sort of fun and silly craft.

She was fun. She was beautiful. She was talented. She was unbelievably caring.

She is my aunt Chris and I miss her everyday.

So why did I chose to run for Dana-Farber? It saved my husband's life and gave us our future. And it gave my aunt a few more precious years.