Help Kara raise money

Cancer takes so much -- independence, certainty, time, etc.

Paradoxically, cancer also provides perspective. There is a renewed sense of joy and appreciation of the present moment that comes from desperation. 

I am who I am because of my experience watching both of my parents fight cancer.

My mom, Kim, defied all odds by living for nine years with stage 4 breast and cervical cancer. As I grew up, I watched her face each stage of this terminal diagnosis with grace and authenticity. Until the very end, my mom fully embraced that even the most uneventful day is a precious gift.

My dad, Gary, is currently hospitalized and receiving treatment for stage 4 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (DLBCL). His cancer is incredibly aggressive, but he continues to find strength and hope in doing the next best thing. I am inspired every day by the way he acknowledges and honors his fear (and the tremendous uncertainty that comes with cancer treatment) and then does the hard thing anyways. 

I also know I'm not the only one who feels changed by the experience of loved ones facing the fight of their lives.

In honor of all those affected by cancer, I'm fundraising for AACR, which -- among other missions -- provides grant funding to further drug discovery. At the end of the day, it's cancer research and novel treatments that can give patients the most precious gift of all: time.

Update: My dad died in the ICU on October 9, 2024 just shy of 6 months after his cancer diagnosis.