Thirteen

Grandma passed away 13 years ago today.

Why I Run

I run in honor of my grandparents, Anna and Iakov Goriatchy, both of whom died of cancer. My grandmother struggled with the cancer of esophagus for over 3 years, while my grandfather was overpowered by lung cancer in a matter of days. While I was growing up, my grandparents lived next door, and my grandmother and I spent a lot of time together. She passed away while I was still a teenager. My grandfather outlived my grandmother by 10 years, and I feel lucky to have known him as an adult.

I run in their memory, but not for them. They are gone. I run for the living--for the parents and grandparents, for the friends and their parents, for the children. Today everyone is affected by cancer. By running and raising money to benefit cancer research I hope to bring us closer to the day when cancer has been eradicated--the ultimate finish line is the "world without cancer."