Inspirational Stories

I am passionate about Team in Training (TNT) because I am a cancer survivor, diagnosed with ovarian germ cell cancer (27 years ago at age 31). I had surgery, several rounds of chemo, and was then CURED! I joined TNT the following spring to ride El Tour de Tucson, a 111-mile bike race in Arizona (November 1997). 

I wanted to give back in some way, and while I wasn’t a blood cancer survivor, I was excited to participate with a group that combined “doing good” with completing an endurance event. It gave a LOT more meaning to the miles. And while I was fortunate to be told "you're cured," I knew that many people fighting cancer don't get the same news.

The El Tour de Tucson was essentially a one-year anniversary mark of my last chemo treatment ― I was able to complete that race, all the while unaware that I was pregnant with our first child!

Life got busy for a few years, and then I rejoined TNT in 2011 to run my first marathon at Disney World, of course!  Since then, I’ve been involved with TNT as a participant, a captain, and a coach.  Of course, I love being involved in all those various roles, but TNT has also become a family of sorts, an amazing community of friends who I run with, share life with, and with whom I fight against blood cancer.

Needless to say, I’m very glad to be a part of this TEAM! GO, TEAM!