Gopher the Gold benefiting the Wright family: Post Race

Gopher the Gold

10 races completed!!!!! That is 6 5K (3.1 miles) races and 4 10K (6.2 miles) races totaling a distance of 43.4 miles in races! That is 5 families and 5 organizations brought to the hearts of you all. That is $8,492 poured out from generous hearts to help the Howell family, the Cooper family, the Rutherford family, and the Wright family directly as well as countless others through the other organizations on my schedule. That is countless prayers lifted up before our sovereign God! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Double-digits!!!

My 10th race just happened to be a 10K. Shocking, I know, that I did not plan to run a 10K for my 10th race. It just happened, which is so unlike my type-A, figure everything out, personality! This race of my series was in honor of Alyssa Wright, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2011 which recurred in fall of 2012. Praise the Lord that she was able to come to the race having completed all her treatments and being cancer free!!!!!

Alyssa, Kase, Jeff, Ben, and me before the race.

It means so much to me when the families I am running for are able to come to the race! It is such a reminder to me that running is the easy part. Running is something I choose to do, something that gives me a break and strengthens my body. Cancer is something that attacks from the inside out. Cancer, along with the treatments, depletes the body of its strength. However, faith, family, determination, friends, support, prayers, encouragement all work to strengthen the spirit despite the weakening body. Meeting families effected by cancer in addition to my own experience continues to confirm this point.

Alyssa pointing to "her race" on my shirt

Not only did the Wright family come to support me during the race, they came to work and celebrate! Alyssa was a little nervous getting started due to the tingling and numbness in her legs caused by chemotherapy. However, she was quickly encouraged by her sweet family and friends! The Wright family truly showed up! Alyssa's parents, brother and family, and two close friends joined us for the race! There were lots of "first 5K" accomplishments that morning!

Meeting family members!

Alyssa's dad, Kase (who obviously worked the hardest!), Jeff, Alyssa, and friend, Megan.

As noted by this picture, I was super pumped! 10Ks have been great races for me and I really have a fun time doing them. I decided to race with music for this one. My mind has fought against me the past few runs, so I thought I would just blast some Mumford and Sons. It definitely did the trick! It was a celebration the whole way through and kept my mind focused, not on my finish time or how sore (and muddy) my legs were, but the reason I was running - for Alyssa and her family!

Woot! Race #10, I own you!

Little man came and received his first race bib! You better believe that is going in his baby book!

So excited to have a race bib like Mamma's! He also wore his race shirt and race band (Team Rutherford)

While we were running through water puddles up to the middle of my shin and mud pits up to my ankles, Benjamin lavished in some of his favorite things: American flags and people who get to drive cool vehicles really fast!

"Big, HEAVY 'Mer-keen flag!"

Ben got his very own badge and even grabbed one for Kase, who was working hard (as seen above).

Now, I mentioned shin-deep water puddles and ankle deep mud pits. It was crazy! The day before the race, an e-mail was sent informing everyone that there was standing water and some mud on the course due to all the rain. The course for the 10K was half paved and half trail. The night before the race, after reading the e-mail about how the course was wet, the skies opened up and it just poured the entire night! Within the first mile of the race I had run through 4 different deep puddles and my feet were completely soaked! Then we headed back to finish with the trail running so we ran through the same deep puddles. By the time we got on the trails, my shoes were so wet and I was so high from running that I decided to follow another women and run directly through the mud!

Clean, bright shoes and socks

plus lots and lots of rain (this picture does not even do it justice!)

equals mud sock line and black socks!

This gives you a better picture of what many of us looked like after the run!

Despite the mud, or maybe because of it, this was one of my favorite races. The course was fairly flat and gave variety in being part paved and part trail. I was glad to feel well throughout the entire run, minus a strained hip something in the last half mile. I ended with a time of 55:12, which is not a personal best but it was so much fun!

Full out sprint to the finish!

Because of the way the course was laid out, I got to see the Wright family twice! Not only did they walk the entire thing (with Kase encouraging Jeff to run through EVERY puddle!), they each RAN across the finish line! I love that husband and wife have almost the exact facial expressions as they finished! Adorable!

Jeff and Kase finishing strong!

Alyssa felt great through the entire walk!

Next up were Ben and Kase. They are only a month apart in age and were so adorable as they kept talking about racing and admiring their bibs!

Ben: "Number 1!" Kase: "Dude, that's what you think!"

Kase did stellar! He raced the entire way! Benjamin, on the other hand, decided that Corduroy Bear and he would rather be playing on the slide. I tried to coax him but we didn't make it far beyond this point...

Kase is the little guy giving it his all in the white shirt (bottom left)

Ben still got a medal despite his change of heart mid-race.

Ah! This is so much better than running. Why would you ever choose running over sli...

Whoa! I did not see that coming!

Since my July families were introduced later than I would have liked (running 6 races in 7 weeks will do that to you!), I will be accepting donations for the Wright family and donations to the RSG1 Foundation in honor of Amy Sain until my next race on August 7th! Please remember that you can send a check made to the "Aaron R. Moeller Memorial Fund" with how you would like your donation directed in the notes section. Thank you!

Thank you!

Coming up: The Red Carpet Run in West Bloomfield, MI to raise money for the Hillman Cancer Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Gopher the Gold benefiting the Wright Family in 1 day!!

Tomorrow marks my 10th race! Double digits!!! Because I am corny, I am also really excited that I unknowingly registered for a 10K race...for my 10th race! Yes!

Yeah, I know my mamma is dorky.

I am running the Gopher the Gold in honor of Alyssa Wright. Meeting her was one of those moments that left me wondering, "Ok God. How are You going to weave us together?" I had only been living in Michigan for a few weeks. A high school acquaintance (now friend!) knew what had happened to bring us back to the great lakes state and invited me to her jewelry party in hopes of helping me feel more settled and make some friends. I met Alyssa only minutes after walking through the door.

Alyssa, Jeff, and friends celebrated her completion of chemotherapy with a wig party!

As she was talking with friends I could tell she was stressed and thankful, as I was, for a brief escape from the pressures that surrounded her at home. Little did I know that our escape was from the same monster. I discovered that her long, beautiful brunette hair was a wig and she was a young wife and mother with cancer wondering how they were going to pay for her life-saving treatments.

Kase kissing his mommy's newly shaved head.

There is was again. I thought I was coming to escape with jewelry but cancer had found me. I realized that there would be no escaping, no running from the "Big C" as Aaron used to call it. No, there would be no attempt to avoid cancer. Instead, I decided I would rather stand as Aaron did during every CT scan appointment, on his first night home with hospice, on that Thursday when he was told he had 2-3 more weeks left, as he prepared himself, and me, spiritually and emotionally for a surgery that may take his life, as he looked at me with such love during his final 10 minutes. I want to stand in faith and trust in the Creator and His plan. I want to stand with courage, with the ability to stare it in the face so it knows it can take nothing from me; it cannot defeat me. I decided in that moment that I would stand with those who also know cancer intimately, as an unwelcome member in their home, as their "new norm."

Kase - that smile!

How can you help the Wright family?
1. Donate: By check - Please send a check made to the "Aaron R. Moeller Memorial Fund" and indicate the Wright family in the notes section. If you need my mailing address, please send me an e-mail or leave a comment with your e-mail address so I may reply privately. All donations are tax deductible! I will be collecting donations for the Wright family through the month of July even after "their race" is complete.

2. Run - Come check out Shelby Township with us! Alyssa and her family will be walking the 5K!! You can register HERE. Be sure to let me know so I can look for you.

3. Spread the word - Please tell your friends and family by sharing the link to this post on your Facebook or in an e-mail...

4. Pray:
* Praise for the good test results indicating that Alyssa is tumor free!!!!!!!!
* Prayer as she is followed closely that all future scans would also be tumor free and she would never hear the words "you have cancer" again.
* Praise for the support of friends and family as the Alyssa and her family have worked to develop a new normal.
* Prayer for Jeff as he continues to provide for and lead his family
* Prayer for Kase that he would continue to be full of joy and tenderness
* Praise the Alyssa, Jeff, and Kase will be walking tomorrow!
* Please pray for the runners and the fundraising of the race and this race series.

Gopher the Gold benefiting Alyssa Wright

Whew! Can it be time to post about my 10th race already!? Yup! My second race of July will occur this Saturday and then I will turn my focus to my third race of July, my 4th 10K, my 10th race of the series! Wow. This has been such a beautiful healing process for me. Running these races has given me a goal, something to move toward rather than having no direction. Fundraising for families living with cancer and other organizations has given me a sense of purpose and a front row view to watch God work. It makes me think of Proverbs 11:25 which says, "The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself." You have been so generous in your support of me and more so to these families! You have poured hope into their lives and I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

On July 20th, I'll be running the Gopher the Gold (10K) in Shelby Township, MI in honor of Alyssa Wright and her young family. I met Alyssa during my first outing after I moved to Michigan after Aaron's death. We were at a friend's jewelry party and Alyssa was discussing some concerns about her medical expenses. I told her that I could relate as we received some explanation of benefits from Aaron's hospital stay totaling nearly $100,000 per stay! Praise the Lord that Aaron had the wisdom and availability of excellent health insurance through his work! Alyssa revealed to me that she had been diagnosed with cervical cancer and had finished a couple rounds of chemotherapy. With a broken heart, I thought: Lord, another young family walking with cancer. Another young mother and father trying to balance fighting for a life and learning to be parents. Alyssa took the time to share her story:

Alyssa with her husband, Jeff, and son, Kase

"Back in November 2009 I found out that I had the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). I found out that in my future I’d need to have a hysterectomy. A doctor told me that I had about 10 years so I could go have kids and then come back to see him.  I’d been married for 11 months and we were going to start trying for a baby when we were married for a year.  At that point we decided not to wait to start trying.  I found out I was pregnant in March and had a beautiful boy, Kase, in November 2010.  I was as happy as could be.  Mid year 2011 I went in for a gynecology visit and a few days later got the phone call I’ll never forget – “You have cervical cancer”.  My first question was “can I have any more kids?”  I was devastated. I’d always imagined me having three kids and I wasn't ready to give up having another baby.  I saw an oncologist and he mentioned that it was still a possibility, if the cancer wasn't too deep, that they could do a Trachelectomy (removing my cervix, leaving in my uterus and putting in a cerclage) rather than having a Hysterectomy.  I had my surgery December 1, 2011. When I woke up they told me I was able to have the Trachelectomy. I was ecstatic!!!  After several months of doctor appointments I was going in for my 10 month appointment and hoping the doctor would give me the green light to start trying for another baby.  I had a CAT scan a week before my appointment so when I went to see the doctor he had my results, a visit I won’t forget.  There was a cyst on my right ovary that was the size of a kiwi, they wanted to give me 6 weeks to see if it went down in size, if not then they’d have to remove it.  I left that appointment crushed. Here I thought I’d be leaving that appointment with great news but I was devastated.  

As soon as I found out I had the cyst I began to feel symptoms: pain in my stomach, gaining weight excessively, and unable to empty my bladder.  A week before my scheduled CAT scan, 5 weeks after I found out about the cyst, I wasn't able to empty my bladder at all.  My doctor told me to go to the emergency room, so I did.  I wasn't able to go to the bathroom at all but I had 562cc’s of urine in me, which a normal person has to go to the bathroom at 300cc’s.  They sent me home with a catheter.  The next day I went to see my oncologist.  They scheduled a CAT scan while I was there and they said the mass got bigger; they’d have to operate.  If it was cancerous they’d have to take my ovary and my fallopian tube and then I’d have to go through Radiation and Chemotherapy- then I wouldn't be able to have any more children. But I still had hope. I had hope that when I woke up from my surgery they’d tell me it wasn't cancerous and that I could have children.  But I was wrong.  It was my cervical cancer that had moved up to my ovary.  I had a couple of months till I was scheduled to start Radiation, so I went to visit a fertility clinic.  I still wasn't ready to give up on another baby, I love my son so much that I want him to have a sibling.  If I couldn't carry a baby myself at least I’d have some embryos, maybe I could hire a surrogate or a very special woman would give me the greatest gift ever and volunteer to carry my baby for me.  So I went through IVF only a few weeks after my surgery, and because I only had one ovary they were only able to freeze 2 embryos.  But I still have hope.  

I went through Radiation on November 26, 2012. It was a bit rough at first. I was feeling nauseous most of the time but then it got better.  I started Chemotherapy January 25, 2013 which was easier for me then I thought it would be.  Round 1 and 2 went well for me, 3 and 4 didn't go so well. I was unlucky and got the flu right after getting chemo, round 4 I ended up in the hospital because of my temperature spiked, round 5 and 6 were good rounds again.  I’ve completed all my rounds of Chemo and am just hoping to get my life back.  I see my son and think I’m not giving up, I love him too much to give up.  I wasn’t sure how much of this I was going to write, but after I started I thought I have to tell my whole story, I want people to learn about HPV and have their kids (both boys and girls) vaccinated.  If I could help just one girl not get cervical cancer- it was worth it."

Cancer is a scary disease with a lot of unknowns waiting in the shadows. Add on the anxiety induced by wondering if you'll be able to pay the medical bills as a result of trying to save your life and the heartbreak of knowing you will never be able to carry any future children and you can begin to see how it attempts to steal the present and future. Please consider how you can help this sweet family processing so many changes to the life they thought they would be living.

How can you help Alyssa Wright and her family?
1. Donate: By Check - Please send a check made to the "Aaron R. Moeller Memorial Fund" and indicate the "Wright Family" in the notes section. If you need my mailing address, please send me an e-mail or leave a comment with you e-mail address so I may reply privately.  I will be taking donations for the Wright family through the month of July even after "their race" is completed!

2. Run: Come check out Shelby Township with me! You can register online. Be sure to let me know ao I can look for you! Alyssa and her family will be walking the 5K!!!

3. Spread the word: Please tell your friends and family by sharing the link to this post on your Facebook or in an e-mail...

4. Pray:
* Praise!!! Alyssa's most recent scan showed NO TUMORS!!!!!
* Pray for Alyssa as she continues to heal from cancer and all of the effects it has had on her life
* Pray for Alyssa's husband, Jeff, as he continues to be a source of support and strength for their family, pray that God would grant him peace and trust in Him
* Pray for Kase, that he would not be negatively effected by the stress of a home with cancer but would see the positive example set by his parents
* Please also pray for the runners and the fundraising of the race and this race series

Upcoming races and reminders

Ben and I head back to Pittsburgh for the first time since our move at the end of January. He is looking forward to seeing many of his friends who he still talks about! I am also looking forward to seeing friends, running in Mt. Washington along the beautiful view, and worshiping in our home church on the date of our wedding anniversary. I expect it to be bursting with joy and completely emotional!

Things are getting busy with the 13 in 2013 race initiative and I wanted to be sure to get a post up about some upcoming races as well as reminders about the June races! There are 6 total races between June and July! We have one more June race on June 29. It is the Caledonia Kilt Klassic (5K) in Caledonia, MI. Second confession: I also chose this race based solely on the name in hopes to see some kilts while running. I'll be collecting money for the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids, MI.  Aaron was treated in their oncology department as an 8 year old boy when they were still Butterworth Hospital. I hope to write a more detailed post about this early next week but realized I had not really mentioned anything about it yet!

July is packed with emotions and families. Each race is in honor of a friend battling cancer or in memory of family and friends. Here is some brief information about each race so you can begin prayerfully considering how you can impact each of these families. I'll have more information on their stories in the coming week!

Amy and her husband, Jerry, and their children, Riley and Ryan

July 4: Volkslaufe (10K) in Frankenmuth, MI in honor of Amy Sain (childhood cancer survivor and currently being treated for gliosarcoma) and the Remi Savioz Glut1 Foundation ("RSG1"). The RSG1 foundation provides support for those, like Amy, who are on the ketogenic diet as an additional avenue to stop tumor growth.

Aaron, Jenny, Ben, and Laura's daughter and our dear friend, Beth

July 13: 3rd Annual Pittsburgh Cure Sarcoma 5K Walk/Run (5K) in Pittsburgh, PA (North Park) in memory of Aaron Moeller (nerve sheath sarcoma) and Laura Campbell (liposarcoma) to raise funds for the Sarcoma Foundation of America.

Alyssa and her husband, Jeff, and their son, Kase

July 20: Gopher the Gold (5K) in Shelby Township, MI in honor of Alyssa Wright (diagnosed with cervical cancer) and her young family. All of the funds raised will go directly to this family to help with the numerous medical bills that accompany cancer.

Please remember, I am still collecting monetary donations for Super Sam and the Rutherford family throughout the month of June! Thank you for all of your support!