Fighting cancer, one dollar at a time.

When I was in first grade, I had a friend who was fighting leukemia. And he fought hard. It was a difficult concept for the rest of us 6 and 7-year-olds to understand, but Tristan knew. He knew the pain and the uncertainty that comes with the disease. He knew the tears his family cried on a daily basis because hope was hard to come by. He knew the limitations placed on his life because of what the cancer had taken away.

At some point during that school year, his illness took him from us. For most of us, it was our first experience like that, and our parents had to take the time to talk us through the loss of a friend. To help us really understand what had happened.

Unfortunately, Tristan wasn’t the only friend I’ve lost to leukemia. Back in high school, I babysat two wonderful girls- one of which had leukemia. We were very optimistic with Hannah because, at the time, she was in remission.

Hannah was not a normal child. She was extraordinary. She had the energy and cheerful attitude that I aim for every day. She and her sister, both at the age that most siblings are consistently fighting, were the best of friends.

But it wasn’t long before the cancer came back for Hannah.

At this point, I understood death and the pain it causes. But what I couldn’t understand was how it could take away such a young and precious child.

So, in memory Tristan and Hannah, I’ve been involved with Team In Training for three years. It’s for the thousands and thousands of survivors that I accept the challenge of running marathons and raising money for a cure.

This year, I’m the team captain for the Disney Princess Half Marathon, and I’ve got a fantastic team. The energy and positive attitudes from each of them serve as a constant reminder of Tristan and Hannah’s personalities.

Three months from today, we’ll be running 13.1 miles in honor of cancer patients, the pain they go through and the hope we all struggle to maintain. Between now and then, we’ve each been called to raise $3,700 to help fund research for a cure. To help ease the pain of hearing that a loved one has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. To help fuel hope for survival.

Join me in this fight against blood cancers, won’t you? Make an online donation here, or contact me at paigepresley [at] gmail [dot] com to give.