When I was going through chemotherapy a little over two years ago, there were days I could barely make it from the couch to the bed. I was so weak that even walking Eve the five blocks to kindergarten felt out of reach. During those long hours in the infusion chair, I made a promise to myself: if and when I made it through, I would find a way to give back.

My story began shortly after Jude was born, when I started to feel that something wasn’t quite right. At first, I brushed off the fatigue and persistent cough as typical postpartum exhaustion. But after several weeks of doctor visits and growing uncertainty, things began to escalate quickly. In November 2023, I was diagnosed with primary mediastinal B cell lymphoma. Within days, I began an aggressive chemotherapy regimen—spending long days in the hospital, severely immunocompromised, while trying to navigate it all with four young children at home.

Today, I’m incredibly grateful to share that I am two years in remission, and I just had my final scan this April. Jude is almost three and thriving, a daily reminder of how much there is to be thankful for.

As my family and I moved through that experience, I was struck again and again by how connected we all are—through the life-saving blood transfusions I received, the kindness of friends, family, and neighbors, and the treatments made possible by research funded by Blood Cancer United (formerly The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society). In fact, Blood Cancer United has helped fund over 70% of FDA-approved blood cancer treatments over the past 20 years.

This June, I’ll be running again on behalf of all the families facing their own blood cancer diagnoses. I would be so grateful for your support in helping me continue this work and contribute, in whatever way I can, to better treatments and, ultimately, a cure.

For more information about Blood Cancer United, please visit https://bloodcancerunited.org/