I’m sure it’s no secret that I’m taking a little break from a lot of normal things – everything from running to blogging have taken a back seat for the moment. My mom is battling glioblastoma, an aggressive, terminal brain cancer, and it’s been rough. When I’m in Baltimore to see and help her, I am too busy to run. When I return home, I just try to catch up on my home life, work and spend time with my husband. I somehow still pulled out a 4:30 Houston Marathon in mid-January, and I just completed a pretty decent 15 mile run on Sunday. I’ve slowed down a bit, which isn’t surprising given that I am not doing my regular mileage and speed work. Right now, I’m just thankful for every opportunity to lose myself in a run – whether it is a long run where I have time to myself or a challenging effort that pushes me past the point of thinking to where I simply go as fast or as hard as I can.

One way I’m dealing with this is to try and find ways to support my mom. She just finished chemo and radiation this past week, her first rounds. It has been rough for her. Fatigue is a daily companion and she has experienced some issues with stability and balance as well. My brother and I were there to help her celebrate the milestone of her final of 30 radiation treatments on 1 February 2018. We are so proud of her for going through what is not an easy treatment plan. We tried to make it fun, decorating the car, putting balloons in the radiation waiting area, having noisemakers to celebrate her ringing the bell to mark the end of her radiation treatments, and by taking her out to a celebration lunch of her choosing. (She picked quesadillas by the way.)

I’m working on continuing to show my mom just what love and support she has through a special surprise – I’ve started a shirt effort, where people can buy a shirt and wear it the weekend of March 3rd and 4th. I’m asking everyone to post a photo on social media of them in the shirt (or message it to me), and I will share with my mom. It turns out that she will be in Cayman from February 26 – March 4, so I’ll be sharing a lot of photos with her! Shirts can be ordered through February 11, 2018, and they will arrive to you by February 28th. Proceeds go to the American Brain Tumor Association to help fund more research into brain tumors and cancer.

If you are so inclined, I’d love to have you join in this effort. My message to my mom is simply that #noonebattlesalone.

BUY YOUR #NOONEBATTLESALONE SHIRT HERE.