I, like many others, was vastly unaware of childhood cancer and all that comes with it for majority of my childhood. I knew of people like Talia Joy or other popular figures fighting pediatric cancer, but I thought it was rare and more of a disease that older people get. Obviously, I now know how wrong I was. 

When I was 13, my former soccer teammate and friend, Kelly Brodnik, was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, an aggressive form of bone cancer. This shocked me because Kelly was a happy, healthy teenager, how could someone like her have cancer? My world was rattled by this and I decided I needed to know more about pediatric cancer to support Kelly and those like her battling cancer. 

Kelly endured countless rounds of chemotherapy, hospitals stays, and surgeries during her battle, but she always seemed to have a smile on her face and a positive attitude despite her situation. When I saw her July 2016, during the middle of her fight, we were joking and laughing together as if we were still together playing out on the soccer field. Not even cancer could dim her light; her spirit was infectious to all those around her.

Kelly valiantly battled cancer three times before passing away September 16, 2018. She taught me more lessons in her short time on Earth than I can count on both hands, and for that I am forever thankful and indebted to her. Kelly has a huge influence on who I am today and how I go about living, therefore I want to continue to share her story and raise money in her memory as a part of Team Lemon searching for a cure for childhood cancers.

When I took the step to educate myself on pediatric cancer, often a lot of resources came back to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. I find ALSF’s work to be crucial to the steps being taken towards fighting and ending childhood cancer, and I want to be a part of the solution, which is why I have chosen to run the 2024 Chicago Marathon as a part of their team. I am running for the millions impacted by childhood cancer in hopes of finding a cure. I am also running for Kelly and the Brodnik family, as no one should have to go through what they endured. I want to keep Kelly’s memory and story alive and share the impact she has had on me with anyone and everyone who will listen. 

Every day, there are almost 800 new cases of childhood cancer around the world. This adds up to an estimated 300,000 new cases of cancer that affect children under the age of 20 each year worldwide. And yet, childhood cancer is vastly and consistently underfunded with less than 4% of the federal government's total funding for cancer research dedicated to childhood cancers each year.

Today, the money you donate has the potential to make a huge difference in the lives of kids with cancer (and their families). Your donation will fund research into safer, more effective treatments and cures. Give today!