How I Celebrated My One Year Cancer Free Annivarsary

One year ago (yesterday) I had a radical hysterectomy done because I had Stage 1B1 Cervical Cancer. Now that a year has past I am finally feeling back to my old self and although it has gone by quickly, my body really did take nearly a full year to recover. I really wanted to do something special today to ring in my anniversary but I didn't want to make it just about me. I've shared my story with you a couple times now so I wanted to celebrate and help St. Jude Children's Research Hospital at the same time.

St. Jude Hospital in Memphis

 

For my anniversary I did what I do best, run! I put together a Fun Run/Walk with friends to benefit St. Jude. You may have seen my St. Jude run posts on facebook or even the website, it's a charity I've been very passionate about, even more so, after finding out I had cancer. I was a lucky one! I only required surgery as a cure but it still brought along similar hardships, especially the financial hardship. When your fighting for your life, or your child's life, the last thing you ever want to have to think about is a bill. That's why I'm such a strong supporter of St. Jude, no family ever even see's a bill, not for treatment, food, lodging or even travel expenses. Because St. Jude is non-profit and a research hospital they SHARE their information with doctors and hospitals around the WORLD! How can you not want to support a place like that?

I asked my friends and family on my one year Anniversary to join me in celebrating and supporting St. Jude by making a minimum $10 donation to the St. Jude Run I'll be doing this summer. I also asked them to go for a walk or a run, anywhere/time on May 13th, or they could join me at Grandview Drive and we can run together. Of course not everyone who wanted too could join, because its a Tuesday morning, but the donations have flooded my in box ALL DAY!  I'm so excited to announce my little "fun run" has brought in $750!!!!!!

My friends who were able to walk and run!

What was so special to me is that friends who are also St. Jude runners showed up and donated! And one of my friends, Jess (Run With Jess-who also gave me the idea of organizing the run), made some teal ribbon cookies (teal is the color for gynecological cancers) for us to enjoy after the run. I had so many left over I brought them to the radio station and asked everyone to donate a couple bucks for a cookie and that brought in another $30!

Yummy F.U Cancer cookies, in teal to represent Cervical Cancer.

Taking a bite out of cancer!

If you'd like to join the donation party please log on to www.peoriaruns.stjude.org/akinkade and make at least a $10 donation.

Now with out furter ado here are the BIG WINNERS in my prizes I had up for grabs. Everyone who donated on or before yesterday was entered into the drawing.

-a $50 Gift Certificate to Running Central - BETH SCROFF
-a pair of General Admission tickets to the Indy 500 SUSAN RENNER
-one box of my favorite energy drink Spark from AdvoCare!!! TINA MORRIS
-Free 6 Month membership at World Gym-Peoria! HEATHER HAYES
-Free Oil Change and Full Car Detail from Green's Finish Line Ford JENNIFER JACOBSEN WOOD
-a $50 gift certificate for Arbonne BARB JOHNSON

I want to shout out to everyone who joined me on my run today and also those to donated: Matt N., Run With Jess, Melissa C., Tina M., Brittany K., Maria D., Amy J., Steve W., Brandy C., Deanna C., Laura L., Oralia Z., Pam P., Kelly B., Scott & Amy M., Jennifer J-W., Bob & Margaret M., Brian & Kate D., Barb J., Diane B., Lindsey N., Patricia C., Teresa S., Carla W., Heather H., Susan R., Cassi Z., Karla J., Beth S., Tracy S., Robynn M., Jeanette H., Yolanda M., Biel A., Oralia Z. and Monique W..

Special shout out to my Matty too because it really made my day that he took the afternoon off of work to run with me. He really had his hands full this past year as I had some struggles. I'm lucky I have such a calm, patient man because calm and patient is what I am not. Love him more every day for always sticking by my side, I may hate him when he pushes me but love him when I succeed.