Stories of Inspiration

One hot July day in 2014, my mother Debi and I were out for a walk. I still remember the look on her face as she winced in pain and stopped dead in her tracks. "What's wrong?" I said. "Just got a quick sharp pain in my lower right side, but it's gone now, weird. Must be gas," she replied.…

My story began in June of 2009 when I was about to find out that the word 'genes' can mean more than something you wear on the weekends. The path that I dreamed of when I was a young college student did not turn out exactly as I had planned. I probably seem normal to strangers walking down the street,…

"I am sorry, Mrs. Tener, but you have all the markings of ovarian cancer." I heard these words. The ER doctor must be talking to someone else, not me. I immediately thought of our daughter Marisa's pending marriage in five months in Hawaii...would I even be alive then? Ovarian cancer sounded like a death sentence to me...I knew it was…

July 30th was 'International Friendship Day', and Nicole, Emily, and Lilly are part of a trio of friends who have always supported each other in both good and challenging times. A friendship that started in elementary and middle school blossomed into adulthood. "We all became close friends as youngsters and the rest is history! We have come a long way…

Michael Davidson of New York is a world traveler and avid marathon runner. His marathon career began in 1997 when he wanted a goal to kick off the new year. That goal would mean months of training and completing his first marathon that year at the age of 25. "It was only ten months earlier that I was sitting in…

In 2018 I ran as a part of the NOCC team teal in the Philadelphia half marathon in honor of my cousin Lora who had ovarian cancer. Little did I know that I was giving to an organization that would ultimately give back to me. I am 23 years old and I am a stage 3A ovarian cancer survivor. No…

Our 13-year-old daughter, Kirsten, was living the normal life of a seventh-grade student. Before an annual doctor visit, she asked her mother if she should mention that her menstrual cycle stopped for about six months. Our pediatrician was concerned and ordered several tests. Several experts recognized an increase in her hormone level based on the test results, but it seemed…

By the Mayan Calendar, December 21, 2012, was supposed to be the end of the world. The world didn't end, but life as I knew it would. Robin, my wife, and best friend was diagnosed with Stage 3C ovarian cancer. I am a maintenance man for the county government and my job is to fix things. Throughout our marriage, my…

This past July 2019, I was enjoying my summer vacation: lacrosse tournaments with my son's travel team trips to the beach, fruity drinks with friends...livin' the teacher life! This was going to be a great summer with my family and friends. I went in for my yearly physical like I do every summer. I told the doctor that I had…