I just experienced the most amazing act of kindness—a gesture that brought me to tears (one that continues to bring me to tears every time I think about it) and will forever remind me that there are, indeed, good people in this world.
On October 25, 2020, five days after I received my breast cancer diagnosis–I ran the NYC virtual marathon at a local track (yes…for anyone counting…that’s just about 105 laps around). I actually published an article on Thrive about it: I Was Diagnosed with Breast Cancer and 5 Days Later I Ran a Marathon: Here’s Why.
I told my hubby to hide the medal from me when it came in the mail and give it to me once I kicked cancer’s ass.
I shared my plan with my radiation team…I told them how my husband had the medal engraved with my time (which was my fastest marathon to date) and that I would bring my children to my final appointment as well.
To my surprise…on February 23, 2021, when I finished my very last treatment…my amazing radiation team set up a finish line for me to run through. They even gave me a “medal” and a certificate.
It was beyond moving and just meant so much to my family and I.
It also gave me the “punctuation mark” that I needed to end this phase of my treatment. A few days before, I heard myself remarking to friends and family that, well..yes..even though this was to be my last appointment—it really isn’t over—blah blah blah. I started to get ahead of myself.
What my team did for me that day was pull me back into that very important moment—a moment that many don’t live to see—and allow myself to celebrate that victory. I don’t have enough words to adequately thank them and will forever refer to them as angels in people’s clothing.
#breastcancer affects 1 in 8 women. I am #1in8 and this is my story.