In this disposable world, very few things seem to last 25 years. But when something touches enough people’s lives it becomes engrained in the very fabric of the community. So it is with Lauren’s Run. On April 28 we celebrated the 25th Lauren’s Run and CURE Childhood Cancer Annual Picnic. The first running was in 1992 after the Zagoria family lost their beautiful daughter, Lauren, at the age of 2. In 2001, another Atlanta toddler, Lauren Kochman, passed away after battling neuroblastoma and the Kochman family joined the Lauren’s Run efforts in 2002. Today we run in memory of both Lauren’s – as well as in honor of the thousands of other children who have fought childhood cancer.
This year’s race started off in spectacular fashion as a beautiful double rainbow greeted us at the Concourse Office Park. The temperatures were perfect as runners began to arrive and warm up for the 5k. After the winners were announced and medals presented, the founders of the original race were honored and recognized as VIPs and the mothers of the two Laurens shared their emotions as they considered how much has been accomplished in their daughters’ legacies.
In the crowd was a special little boy named Knox. Knox and his parents were preparing to run the 2k. Although he is only seven, he’s traveled a long road to get to this point.
His journey started very early. As other boys his age were starting to walk and become rambunctious balls of energy, Knox refused to walk and was oddly sedate.
“I knew something wasn’t right,” said his mother, Kimberly. “We took him to several different doctors and got all kinds of opinions. They finally landed on synovitis – a virus that affects hip movement and told me it would run its course. I wasn’t sure, but miraculously he started walking and we thought his health scare was over.”
Knox’s newfound vigor lasted for six months when he refused to walk again. At the stubborn insistence of his parents, Knox was given an MRI which revealed a neuroepithelial spinal tumor – a tumor so rare that it was only the 9th diagnosed at CHOA. He was scheduled for immediate surgery during which Knox’s surgeon scraped every bit of the tumor he could find. A tiny portion remains, but it has never grown or caused him problems since. After a very tricky year of chemotherapy, Knox’s treatment was complete. But there are lasting effects.
“There were moments during our journey where we had no idea if Knox would ever be able to run let alone walk having a spinal tumor,” Kimberly relayed. “We have watched him since he was a baby learning to walk, try to figure out how to cope with it. He trips often, calls himself slow, has been made fun of and looks different when he runs. It never breaks his spirit.
“Today marked a huge milestone in our family’s life as we watched our son cross the finish line in his first 2K. To watch him dig deep today, stop to rest and talk with his friend Lake who is in Heaven, and persevere to finish strong melted my heart. I have learned so many life lessons from these sweet kids. If you had asked me yesterday if he would have been able to do this I would have bet no. It’s a testament to the fact that you can truly break any barrier and do anything you set your mind, heart and soul to do.”
Knox’s resilience represents the spirit and hope we celebrate at Lauren’s Run and the CURE Childhood Cancer Annual Picnic. It is a spirit of a community committed to conquering pediatric cancer and it cannot be denied. To date, Lauren’s Run has raised more than $4.4 million in the fight. Some of the original research funded in its early years is now frontline therapy for children fighting cancer. Children like Knox – who deserve the opportunity to cross the finish line.
Watch Knox cross the finish line at Lauren’s Run:
Tears filled Jody’s eyes as she kicked of the 2019 event by dedicating the evening to the memory of sweet Morgan Frison, a four- year-old Statesboro girl who passed away in November due to complications from her cancer treatment.
“I had such a wide range of emotions when the doctor said my baby had cancer,” Kristin recalled. “I was confused, overwhelmed, and scared. But I also had a strange peace because I felt the Lord say, ‘I created this child and I will take care of her.’”
Something new awaited Maylee at the hospital, though. Since her original diagnosis and with a $4.5 million grant from CURE, the Aflac Precision Medicine Program had launched. This program allows doctors to look at the genetic makeup of a child’s cancer and then search for a treatment designed specifically to treat the genetic abnormality at issue. Once doctors confirmed her cancer had returned, they looked at the genetics of Maylee’s leukemia and found very interesting results.
The heart of the evening was panel of patients and moms who took the stage to share about their journey through childhood cancer. Kelli Stuckey and her daughter, Lily, shared about some scary moments in Lily’s treatment for leukemia. Alana Williams and her daughter, Nevaeh, talked about the difficulties of travelling back and forth to Atlanta for treatment and shared about Nevaeh’s sixteen-hour surgery to remove thirteen tumors from her abdomen. Ashley Shiell and her daughter, Kylie, talked about the challenges of being a teenager and having cancer. Kylie pointed out how difficult it has been to miss playing the sport she loves while battling leukemia. Finally, Ashley Beam told the crowd about her son, John, who died last October after a difficult battle with neuroblastoma. She graciously helped the crowd know who John was and shared how new neuroblastoma treatments are desperately needed. All of the panel guests were open and honest about the difficulties of their journeys, but each also shared of the things they have learned during this time in a powerful and moving manner.
Basketball has always been Bailey Moody’s favorite sport. After bone cancer forced a partial amputation of her right leg when she was ten years old, she wasn’t sure if she would be able to continue to play. Then she discovered wheelchair basketball. Bailey made the U.S. National Women’s Basketball Team last year at 16 and was one of the youngest players on the team. While she enjoys the travel, it has been incredibly hard work.
Guests enjoyed cocktails and perusing silent auction items on the patio while listening to music provided by local band, Tell Scarlet. A delicious dinner was provided by Silk Road Catering. After dinner, emcee Andrew Davis drew door prizes, allowed patients to share why CURE is important, and introduced keynote speaker, Kristine Bothwell. Kristine shared the story of her daughter Ella’s cancer journey. Kristine drove home the need for new improved research for pediatric cancer by sharing that Astronaut Neil Armstrong’s young daughter, Karen, lost her life in 1962 to the same disease, Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, that took Ella’s life in 2016. Kristine said, “In 55 years, we can put a man on the moon, but we still do not have an effective treatment for DIPG. This is unacceptable.” There was not a dry eye in the crowd when Kristine showed a video tribute of Ella’s life.
“I got to make some new friends, share our stories, and learn all about their children,” she said. “And that was the best part, getting to know some of Kate’s new neighbors! I am always wondering about the new things she is doing now in heaven, and for once, I know a little bit of who she is probably hanging out with! They are really cool kids. Morgan, the sassy three-year-old who loves glitter and purple. Alyssa, the sweet fourteen-year-old who danced at her school. Anna-Charles, the six-year-old fashionista who sang Meghan Trainor songs for the nurses. Kian, the two-year-old who charmed the nurses and had an afro bigger than his head.”
