Faith means more to us than just a virtue we stand behind for hope in our futures and in the goodness of God. Faith was a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a friend. She embodied her namesake in every aspect of her life. She is an example for all of us. And she was taken from us by melanoma. What was supposed to be a wonderful day for her and my brother, the birth of their second child and first and only son, was the beginning of a nightmare that has become a constant passenger in our lives. While she suffered both from her aggressive cancer and postpartum from her pregnancy, Faith never complained or made herself a burden to her family. Even while her body was being ravaged by the evil of cancer, her soul and mind stayed strong and focused on the grace of God. On the hope of recovery. On the desire to live.

I am not alone in the struggle and search for that grace now in my own life, but Faith’s faith is something I hope to have before my time comes. She passed honorably in the face of a true terror she was living. In honor of her fight and sacrifice, I began to search for ways to not only keep her alive, not just in memories, but to keep this evil from touching the lives of other mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters. Blood donations are a great way; donating money to research is another. All these options are great, but they all come to an end at some point. There is only so much blood and money you can give before your endeavors feel fleeting and inadequate. I had a realization when I saw this fundraising event. What I want to bring to those faced with this evil is Faith. Both faith in a loving God and Faith, a loving soul who was taken way too soon, and at the pinnacle of her life. Her sacrifice does not end with her. 

Miles for Melanoma is the way people come together to take action and help support this fight and the mission of the Melanoma Research Foundation. It is a way for me to show people who I am fighting for and who was taken from us. It is a way to never forget the love of those who are more than a number to us. There is so much I wish I could have done, so much I prayed for. I don’t pretend to understand or even accept the plans that I have faith are guided by a loving God, but I do know I have a choice in how I respond to them. I choose to move and, to the best of my ability, spread the awareness of what this horrible cancer does to the best among us. I choose to smile in the face of evil and be that smile that Faith was to all those who knew and loved her. I choose to be a force for good and stand against the evil in our world. 

What do you choose to do in the face of evil?

Consider donating or joining our team and helping me keep Faith in the fight against melanoma.