A Life of Words

We’ve had buckets of rain this week in Dallas-Fort Worth, but Saturday morning’s weather was cool, clear and perfect for the 15th annual Head for the Cure 5K run/walk in Plano. With a theme of “Defeating Brain Cancer Step by Step,” it’s a wonderful, vitally important event to raise money, awareness and hope in the fight against tumors that take the lives of over 18,000 people in the U.S. every year. The goal of this year’s event was to raise $175,000, which will benefit research at UT Southwestern Medical Center (where I work in communications) and its Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, along with other brain cancer programs, education and initiatives.

Among Saturday’s nearly 1,500 participants were numerous survivors, their families and other supporters; folks who are currently battling brain cancers; and many who ran and walked in honor of family and friends who have succumbed to these awful diseases. As the lead sponsor, UTSW/OBI had the largest team with 114 members, one of 81 participating teams.

As for me, I didn’t do any running because I’m not in shape for that – and I’m not sure I trust my formerly fractured femur to run all that much. But I walked at a brisk pace over the 3.1 miles and loved seeing all the survivors, families, kids, people of all ages – and LOTS of dogs!

In a ceremony afterward, UT Southwestern’s Dr. Elizabeth Maher (on left in photo below with my colleague Laurie Buchanan Enright, OBI marketing director) told the crowd that despite concerns about research funding cuts, brain cancer research has not – and will not – let up. Dr. Maher is a neuro-oncologist who, like countless other UTSW faculty members does extensive research, including on low-grade gliomas.

Several survivors also were honored, along with some amazing people whose love and unwavering devotion to family members who fought brain cancer will never be forgotten. ❤