In June of 2018, my husband and I brought our newborn son to our family doctor for a checkup. My parents came with us and met with our family doctor before us. We all went into a room, a board room, where our doctor took control of the conversation. "Your mother has lung cancer".
It took my breath away, I immediately started to panic and needed my emergency panic medication. Looking at my mom who was crying, to my dad who was in tears, to my husband who was stunned into silence. How could this happen?! Why?!
My mom was given 6-12 months with Stage 4 Lung Cancer, with 6 months being more likely. But she really surprised us all. That November she rang the bell as she was deemed cancer free. But stage 4 is aggressive, and it came back. Again and again and again.
My mom passed August 2021 after learning the cancer spread to her brain. Her last name was Looby. She always credited to surpassing the 6-12 month expectation the doctors gave her to my son, her first and only grandchild. And this is why our team name ends in Looby, we relay for her.
So why Running? Well, I can't run with arthritis in my foot! But my maiden name is Running. My uncle Scott Running was diagnosed with a form of stomach cancer. Unlike my mom, he was very private about his battles and about his cancer diagnosis. It became very obvious towards the end of his life as he lost his appetite. He passed 3 weeks after my mom, in Sept 2021. And that is where Running comes from.
So in memory of two amazingly strong, kind, compassionate and funny people that we all loved so much, we relay for them. We remember them. We walk, run and roll for them. For hope. For a cure. For a brighter future for others.
We relay as Running Loobys.