This past Sunday, 9/28, I ran in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. In general, one may question whether this event has anything to do with disabilities, especially since I was running in the race. However, there is another aspect of the event that I feel needs to be shared with others.

One of the neat things I noticed during the race was that people run the race in honor or in memory of a family member who has battled breast cancer, other runners and walkers participate because they are either battling or have survived the disease. Some survivors are still weak from various treatments like chemotherapy and were pushed in a wheelchair through the course. Other survivors participated by riding a trolley.

A disease like cancer can leave one extremely weak, causing them to leave their jobs and daily activities behind. Some people must even go on disability from their job. Therefore, despite the debilitating effects of cancer, I was struck by the determination of the survivors who participated in Northwest Ohio’s 15th Annual Race for the Cure to fight back against the disease, by charting the 3.1 mile course either by running, walking, riding a wheelchair, or taking the trolley.