Hi friends and family, 

I am training for my very first marathon, the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. There is so much emotion behind this marathon for me because of everything it stands for.

In 2019, I was unable to run more than a tenth of a mile because of excruciating knee pain. In these past six years, I have undergone four different physical therapy programs, four MRIs, steroid injections, and bilateral knee surgeries. Finally, I am now able to run again. With every mile I successfully add on in training, I am overcome with gratitude for how far I have come on this incredible journey. If there is a will, there has to be a way; my dad taught me that. He would say, ‘you are a daughter of a Marine, after all!’

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My dad’s relentless fighting spirit is what has pushed me through the hurdles of this running journey and I am so happy that I can honor him in a small way, by running for a cause greater than myself. I will be running for a charity called Culinary Care, which is a nonprofit organization that provides meals to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. My first introduction to the company was when my mom and dad shared one day during a long chemo day that they were getting a full meal delivered to the hospital; they were SO excited about it. The restaurant-level meal was such a small thing, but it was the highlight of their day. Later, I remember listening to the founder of Culinary Care describe her mission after losing her own father to cancer. I found myself in tears realizing how much her story related to my own and I was inspired by the fact that she used those emotions to create a company which serves patients and families undergoing the marathon that is a cancer battle.

A bit more about Culinary Care:

Hospitals do not provide meals during outpatient care, so someone going through chemotherapy is often left without lunch. Culinary Care is the only non-profit filling this void by working with local restaurants to provide free meals to cancer treatment centers. Every $1,000 I raise will help bring this critical support to one family for an entire year. 

The support of friends and family throughout both my running journey and personal struggles in the last year has been extraordinarily meaningful and I feel blessed to have all of you in my life. I look forward to your continued support in helping fundraise for such a special cause and I’ll see you at the finish line on October 12th!

With love,

Melissa