“You feel like a candle in a hurricane, just like a picture with a broken frame…alone and helpless, like you’ve lost your fight…”

It gets to be this time of year, and I start thinking about my Mom, Kathie Childs. The most amazing woman I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Why is she so amazing you ask? Let me enlighten you…

On April 26th 2006 my Mom found out that she had uterine cancer. A very rapidly growing type. I remember the day I got the call from my Dad. My Mom was not in a position to speak at that point. I just sat there dumbfounded…at school- studying for finals. I remember I had one of my hardest finals that night. But I couldn’t get those words out of my head. “Hey Krys…Mom has Cancer…” the rest of the words are a blur. I can only remember the rest of the afternoon was spent googling cancer, treatment…and looking for answers to the millions of questions racing through my mind. After I finished my final, I remember writing after the essay “Sorry if I bombed this- I just found out today that my mom has cancer”.

Earlier that week, my Mom called- she felt like something was wrong. And told me she had made an appointment at her clinic. I know my Mom, and that was the last thing she wanted to do. But I am so glad that she did.

Just a few days later my Mom went to Rochester, MN to the Mayo clinic…to have a total Hysterectomy. Suffice it to say, that was a tough couple of weeks. After the surgery, she had a few very painful complications that made her recovery much longer. Her doctors felt at that time that Chemo was not necessary. Which at the time was a relief. Thinking back now- we should have pushed for it.

Later that fall, after she was healed, and back to work she had that little suspicion that something was not right. And so back to the doctor, and another diagnosis. This time she almost lost her Kidney, as she had a tumor wrapped around the renal artery near her kidney. After this surgery, Chemo was very necessary. By the end of 2006, My Mom had beaten cancer twice. Her fight meant so much to me; I had never seen a person fight so hard in my life. So I surprised her with a tattoo (see photo below). A cancer awareness ribbon, with her mantra “Never Give Up Hope”…and her name- in her handwriting. I could not take my eyes off it as it was being bonded to my body forever. She was so moved by this, that she got a matching one on her calf!

“…Cause when push comes to shove, you taste what you're made of, you might bend, till you break Cause it’s all you can take. On your knees you look up Decide you've had enough…”

2007 was a mostly healthy year, that fall that sneaking feeling crept up again. The most interesting this about this is my Mom’s cat Shadow. He loves to be on my Mom’s lap, and snuggle. But every time she got sick, Shadow was relentlessly at her abdomen kneading and kneading for all he was worth. It begs the question about animals being able to detect cancer doesn’t it? So the cancer this time was so intertwined in the nerves and muscles of her right leg, that even before they could remove it she was given 5 weeks of radiation. She then went to Rochester to live for 5 weeks in the Hope Lodge. I cannot ever say enough how amazing that place is. We met people from all over the world at the Lodge. She was there for Thanksgiving that year. I went down and was able to spend, what turned out to be one of the most emotional weekends of my life with my parents, and about a hundred strangers.

To be perfectly honest, the first time I saw my Mom during her Radiation treatment was that weekend. I knew she was not doing well, and that she had lost a lot of weight. But I was not prepared for what I saw. She was a shadow of her former self. Gone were her sparkling eyes, and infectious laugh that I love so much. I held it together that weekend for her, even though we had a heart wrenching conversation over breakfast one morning, about her not being there for my wedding, and grandkids. Still, I was able to wait until I pulled out of the parking lot before I let the flood gates open. I sobbed the entire way home. I have never been so afraid in my life. After those 5 weeks of treatment she was able to return home in time for the holidays. I know her goodbye was hard, since she had made so many close friends. People whose lives were so closely linked to hers through this journey. We still think of, and talk about them often.

In the weeks that followed that I know my Mom struggled to stay positive. She had developed a mantra to help her through the rough times. “Never give up hope” and a theme song to boot. “Stand” by Rascal Flatts.

“You get mad, you get strong. Wipe your hands shake it off. Then you stand, then you stand…”

Her fight was not over yet…not by a long shot. The hardest part was to some. I was at work when my mom called. She had met with her oncologist for her pre-op appointment, during which they had done a CAT scan. The good news was the tumor near her leg was pretty much dead…and the bad news was the CAT scan showed a few small pea sized tumors in her lung. Her surgery had been canceled. Her doctors plainly told her that this was to be her life. Fighting it, and having it come back…over and over again. During those hard weeks, she spent her time planning. Planning her funeral. Morbid yes- but she saw it as necessary. My Dad refused to listen, he kept telling her she wasn’t done yet. That she wasn’t going anywhere. Those weeks are where it hit me- I could lose my Mom. I could not have her around…and that was more than I could take. I was not ready to lose her. I had, and still have so much to learn from her.

So she was transferred to a new oncologist. I won’t pretend to know how to do a doctor’s job- but during one appointment, the new doctor asked my Mom why she wanted to put herself through more treatment after just telling us that the small tumors in her lung were most likely the same type she originally had in her uterus. The rapidly growing and very rare tumors could be one and the same. The doctors said let’s watch it, let’s wait and see… basically telling her to go home and die. Well Doctor- we are not the wait and see kinda people. “Set it up” my Mom said. Within just a few sessions- those tiny pesky tumors were GONE.

“Life's like a novel With the end ripped out, The edge of a canyon With only one way down, Take what you're given before its gone. Start holding on, keep holding on…”

If you’ve kept count that’s 4 times. 4 diagnoses and 4 triumphant victories over cancer. I know this battle is not over. Even though she will be cancer free for 2 years this April- I know she has days that are harder than some. She still fights to stay positive. Even though her journey ended happily- her life has changed dramatically. But I have to say I think it has changed for the better. She will tell you that she didn’t think that she was that strong. That she didn’t know she could fight this hard at the start. But I knew all along that this would not be the end of her. This would not beat her. My Momma is WAY too stubborn to let this best her.

So if you ever wonder where all my spitfire and attitude comes from… I get it from my best friend, from my hero… from my MOM!

My, how fast this season is moving! I can't believe that we are almost at the half way point in the season. It's been great so far, I have met some truly wonderful people and I feel so blessed to hear their connections and the stories of their journey in the battle.

I still have a long way to go in my fundraising however. So please help me today and donate to this great cause.

Thanks and GO TEAM!

p.s. check out the link to my team page too! GO TEAM PARADYSZ!!

Below is a group shot from a VERY chilly training session for Early March in Maple Grove, MN

Training has begun!

We had our first group training last Saturday, and have our second tonight! It was cold, but really nice to get out and be outside!

I will be honest, there is some intimidation with the training schedule, and seeing the miles add up fast- but I couldn't be more excited to be apart of this, and I feel like I am doing something really amazing here!

Stay tuned for more updates!

The training & fundraising season is officially here!

I attended the TNT kickoff event this past Saturday, and got to meet my other team members, coaches and participants of all of the other events that are going on this year!

It was very fun, and we got great ideas for making the season amazing!

We have our very first group training session this coming Saturday, and I can't wait! GO TEAM!

I am so excited to be a part of this great organization, and be able to contribute to finding a cure for this disease. Everytime I talk to someone about this event I find more and more people have someone in their family, a friend, or co-worker that has battled with cancer in some form. It breaks my heart, and inspires me at the same time.

My Mom is a 4 time (yep, 4 times) cancer survivor. She is living proof that getting this diagnosis is not the end. There have been so many medical advances in the last few years, so many steps forward in finding a cure. But we are not there yet.

Last week I got a chance to go to a preview party for the TNT San Diego Rock N Roll Marathon, where I heard a man share the story of his daughter McKenna who lost her battle with cancer at the age of 10. She fought this disease pretty much her entire life. Her parent have formed the team "Miles for McKenna", and have set a goal to raise 1 million dollars for Team in Training, and LLS. I think that is amazing. They just hit their $100,000 mark recently. Amazing.

The San Diego, and Anchorage teams honored teammate this season is Amanda Burggraff. She is currently a Senior in High School and was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) in February, 2009. As of October, 2010, Amanda is in remission! She will be our inspiration to continue fundraising and training even when it's not easy because we want to find a CURE! Amanda also has a Web site so you can follow her progress and write in her journal. Her Web site is: www.caringbridge.org/visit/amandaburggraff.

I feel so blessed to know that there are happy endings to this story, and to my Mother's. But many like McKenna, don't get to see that happy ending. So please- help me fight for cure by donating to this wonderful organization. No donation is too small. If you can only spare $5- that is $5 more to help rid the world of cancer!

Check back often to view my training and fundraising progress!

Racing to Save Lives

Welcome to my Team In Training home page.

I'm training to participate in an endurance event as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training. I will be participating in the Mayor's Marathon in Anchorage, Alaska on June 18th 2011.

All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. I am completing this event in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancers. These people are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!

Please make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance LLS's mission.

I hope you will visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my fundraising & training progress, and to get updates on TNT fundraising events. Thanks for your support!