Today’s a5K Story was submitted by Lissa Chambers

In August 2009, I had surgery to remove an ovarian cyst that the doctors had been watching for years. Surgery was successful, and I was back to work within a week. On the day of my 2-week follow up appointment, my doctor called me at work and ask if I was bringing anyone with me to the appointment.

Let me skip all the details, the cyst was not a cyst at all, it had been ovarian cancer. Well, September 11, 2009 at the age of 42, I had a total radical hysterectomy, as well as had my cervix and appendix removed. The recovery was slower, but through the grace of God, I needed no follow up treatment. No radiation, no chemo, no more surgeries.

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Today’s a5K Story was submitted by Rachel Langley.

In late September 2012, a couple months into a new found fitness addiction, I decided to try a Couch to 5K Running program. I had never run a day in my life, but decided that maybe it was time I give it a try. Not for myself, but in honor of those I had loved and lost.

My goal was to run 1 mile of the Free to Breathe Lung Cancer Awareness 5K in October. I would participate in memory of my grandfather, Joe and my mother Paula, who I had lost in 2010 at age 60, to lung cancer. I had remembered, toward the end of her illness while resting in bed, she was moving her legs while sleeping. When she awoke, she shared that she dreamt she was running. And I thought, what a beautiful way to pay tribute to my mother’s memory. I would run. 1 mile. For her. Because I had never felt a desire to run for myself, ever.

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