Ovarian Cancer Run

September is National Ovarian Cancer Awareness month. For the second year in a row, our family signed up to run the Sandoval Memorial 5K that benefits ovarian cancer research. My oncologist, Dr. Dodson, is one of the main organizers of the event. It is sponsored by the University of Utah and takes place at Sugar House Park in Salt Lake City. Jonathon's sister Tera also came to participate with us. I was so grateful that she spent her morning with us to support a cause very close to our hearts. 

The morning was beautiful. The temperature was perfect, and the atmosphere was one of camaraderie, understanding and shared experiences. Everyone there had been touched by ovarian cancer in one way or another. Many had lost family members or friends, several were going through treatments currently, and some were there as survivors. I felt very blessed to be there as a survivor, now 2 years after my diagnosis. 

It is a very laid back event, so there was no pressure to finish in a certain amount of time or be ultra competitive. Tera and I pushed the strollers with Caleb and Hyrum, and Jonathon, Christian, and Andrew ran. It is the perfect family event, and I am hoping to do it every year. It is so good to be able to teach my boys about giving money and time to help others and about being thankful for the blessings we have. 

The run/walk was nice. The boys had fun running with Dad, and Tera and I had a great time chatting as we walked. I was also able to talk to a lady that I met earlier in the Summer at one of Jonathon's work parties. Her son-in-law, John Alder, works in Jonathon's department, and she is living with them while she undergoes chemotherapy for stage 3 ovarian cancer. I told her all about the event and invited her to it. I had a good conversation with her that night and was hoping that she would be at the race. She was walking with her family and several friends from church. She said that treatment was going well, and she was feeling pretty good. 

When we all met up at the finish line, we got some after race snacks and then headed home. It was a good morning with my family, and a perfect reminder to count our blessings.