By Joe Nuss
Endurance athletes raise millions of dollars for cancer charities every year. Through our participation in events we raise money for research and treatment and give hope to those battling cancer in its many forms. Our donations and a portion of our race fees will go to research and treatment to help the more than 1.6 million people expected to be diagnosed with a form of cancer this year.
Unfortunately, more than 577,000 people will lose their battle with cancer in 2012. About 30 percent will be related to high body mass index, low fruit and vegetable intake, lack of physical activity, tobacco use, alcohol use, and other behavioral and dietary factors. Our lifestyle as endurance athletes requires that we consider these on a daily basis and is one of the many links between endurance sports and the war to end cancer.
Another important link in that battle is the role endurance sports play in helping people cope with caring for a loved one with cancer. In this issue, columnist Vickie Leff writes about the emotional benefits of running. Leff, a social worker who spent 15 years working with patients in oncology, is also featured on our cover. Writer Jennifer Kirby shares Leff’s personal story of how working with cancer patients at the many different stages of their journeys led her to start running, and why she has been a runner ever since.
For many, the cancer journey and its link to endurance sports is extremely personal. Endurance Magazine shares with you in this issue the stories of patients, survivors, caregivers, and fundraisers who have each been deeply affected by cancer and how endurance sports have helped them in their journey.
As we worked on this issue, we learned about the 5k for Kids Cancer in Charlotte, founded and hosted by Stuart and Erin Santos to raise money for neuroblastoma research. Their daughter Isabella had been afflicted by this particular type of cancer since she was 2 years old and fought valiantly for years. Unfortunately, during production of this issue, Isabella passed away. You can read her and her family’s story in this issue and see the touching message to you from her younger brother and sister, Grant and Sophia.
We also feature Shane Miles, who took up running only after surviving cancer. In less than a year, Miles has made amazing progress and will be participating in the inaugural Tuna Run overnight relay from Raleigh to Atlantic Beach this October. While Miles celebrates his survivorship and health by running, Melissa Morrow will be running and walking in the Pink Shamrock 5k to support her friend who was just diagnosed with a recurrence of breast cancer. Others, like Rufus Simmons, will be participating in Team In Training events throughout the year to raise money for hundreds of thousands of people he doesn’t know, supported by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Foundation.
Finally, like the Santos family, who created a running event to raise money for research, Donna Deegan, founder of the 26.2 with Donna: Finish Breast Cancer marathon, is featured in our issue as well. A three-time survivor, Deegan has inspired countless people through her race, which has contributed more than $3 million to its beneficiaries. The February 2013 race in Jacksonville, Fla., is expected to draw more than 12,000 runners.
While Deegan’s efforts in Florida are a tremendous benefit to funding research, we also proudly point out the amazing progress in research being made right here in North Carolina at the Duke Cancer Institute and the UNC Comprehensive Cancer Center and N.C. Cancer Hospital. Check out our stories about their latest discoveries and research in regard to breast cancer.
This issue is filled with stories of people who have used endurance events and races as a platform for fundraising, recovery, and a celebration of life as well as a celebration in memory of those like Isabella Santos, who fought with spirit but were unable to win their battles with cancer. So, if you are one of the many people who enjoy the benefits of cycling, swimming, and running, but do not typically race, sign up for one today and help raise money to fight cancer.
Check out Endurance Magazine events like the Duke Medicine Ramblin’ Rose Women’s Half Marathon in Durham, which benefits the Duke Cancer Institute, not to mention next year’s Wells Fargo Tar Heel 10 Miler Presented by CEP, which benefits the UNC Comprehensive Cancer Center and N.C. Cancer Hospital. Many of the other events that have advertised in this issue of Endurance Magazine benefit cancer charities, so be sure check out those events, too. For a comprehensive race listing, visit www.sportoften.com.
Follow these stories on Twitter at #hopethroughendurance.
