Personal Stories

Mike

First Place Age Group Winner, 2012 South Florida Undy 5000
First Place Survivor, 2012 South Florida Undy 5000

I managed to come in first in my age group and first overall for survivors at the 2012 South Florida Undy 5000. It was the latter that got to me. While I was a stage II cancer victim, I know that many others have had it so much worse.

For me, it was the perfect storm. I found out I had colon cancer and ended up losing my job. I had surgery on my birthday in 2008, followed by chemotherapy in 2009. I thought I might die!

But I am back! I was a runner before my health problems came about and I started running again on September 11, 2011. The Undy 5000 was my 14th 5K race since then, plus a mini-triathlon. 

I have a renewed appreciation of life and take each day one at a time.

Thanks for organizing this race. It really meant the world to me. You made me feel like I was on top of the world, if only for a brief moment! To compare that with where I was at a short time ago is nothing short of a miracle.

When I learned of this event several weeks ago, I made it a point that I would participate. How could I not? But to have won a couple of awards was just icing on the cake.

I appreciated the fact that finally there was a walk and a race that addressed the second largest killer in the U.S. People need to be tested; this is the key. I sincerely hope that in time, more attention will be given to people becoming more familiar with colon cancer and getting tested. Testing saves lives.

I was happy and touched to see other survivors participating in this event. We were all winners!

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