Why I'm Running for American Cancer Society
Happy Friday all! I wanted to take a quick moment today to talk about why I'm running for American Cancer Society in the Chicago Marathon this October. This story is on my fundraising page, which is linked HERE.
I'm running in Memory of Chase Harrison.
I have always felt very fortunate that my family has only been grazed by cancer, and never directly touched. I had a great aunt and a great grandmother who had breast cancer, but beyond that we have been fortunate. That fortune changed in August of 2015.
I joined American Cancer Society's Team DetermiNation in memory of my little brother's close friend, Chase Harrison. Chase was a wonderful, thoughtful, talented kid who truly was the light of his group of friends. He passed away after a lengthy battle with Neuroblastoma.
Chase's mother, Fae, made this photo for him.
Chase had recently graduated high school where he was a member of the wrestling team, and was rarely seen without a smile on his face. Chase's brother Skylar is still one of my brother's best friends, and his mother, Faye, is my brother's manager at his part-time job. They're an amazing, strong, kind hearted family and I wanted to do something to honor Chase and keep his memory alive.
Chase at graduation
Unfortunately, almost all of us will be touched by cancer in some capacity in our lifetime; whether it's a friend, family member, or even our own battle. In the time since I began this journey with ACS, a relative's doctor found the very early stages of prostate cancer and they were able to do surgery, and I lost a coworker to cancer.
I am passionate about creating a world without cancer, without family members and friends gone too soon, and as ACS says, "a world with more birthdays." That is why I run for Team DetermiNation.
For each of my top 25 donators, I will dedicate a mile of my race on October 7. The final 1.2 miles, the absolute toughest 1.2 miles, will be dedicated to Chase and his amazing family.
To donate to my fundraising efforts for American Cancer Society, click this sentence!
Help me create a world with more birthdays.
--B