Million Dollar Marathon – Coast to Coast for Cancer
- May 27, 2013
- 2 min read
Meet Kathy Wennihan. In middle school, at a delicate age when boys and girls are transitioning into adulthood with the onset of puberty while growing increasingly aware and sensitive about body image, Kathy was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis, a genetically-inherited disorder of the nervous system, which causes tumors to grow on nerve tissue producing skin and bone abnormalities.
One can only imagine the torment and bullying that Kathy had endured as a child in a superficial world where physical beauty takes front and center stage casting an obscured shadow over academic success and sowing of the seeds through acts of kindness and compassion. And as if this condition weren’t disparaging enough taking a toll both emotionally and socially, her condition, by and large benign, turned cancerous (malignant). But rather than fall victim to one’s circumstance, or be held hostage, Kathy was determined to turn what most believed to be a curse, into a blessing in disguise.
Kathy realized at a very young and impressionable age that she was dealt one of the greatest gifts of all, and that is wisdom. Wisdom to look past society’s shallowness and embrace life as an adventure, leaving no stone left unturned. We reap what we sow and beauty fades with time is the lesson learned. The real legacy that we leave behind is the lasting impact we’ve had on the lives of others through acts of kindness and humility.
On June 21, 2013, Kathy Wennihan along with 159 other cancer survivors and supporters are going coast to coast as they embark on a 4,000 mile run across America passing a single baton from one team member to the next in the global war on cancer, a terrorist of its own kind.
Cancer is merciless. It sees no age, color, creed, or status. No one is exempt. It can strike at any point in time; turn your life upside down like a thief in the night. In America alone, a staggering one in two men and one in three women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, while the number of new cases is set to nearly double by year 2050, according to the latest statistics.
I invite you to join me in show of support for Kathy by donating $10 to the Million Dollar Marathon as America runs coast to coast in memory of those who’ve lost their battle to cancer, and for those who are winning across the globe, as we the people take a united stand together as one nation declaring a global war on cancer. You are not alone.
A touching message (video clip) from Kathy in her own words:
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