On January 23, 2017, my younger sister Alix was diagnosed with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). She was a mother, wife, photographer, and nonsmoker. To say it was a shock is an understatement.
When you are diagnosed with cancer, as soon as you find out, you launch into huge amounts of research to learn as much as you can. Alix tested positive for the ALK mutation. The first group we connected with was the ALK Positive forum on Facebook. They have an amazing group in which you could post any situation you were in, whether it be a new treatment, side effects or just needed support, and everyone would share their experiences; we found this helpful. This was both a great resource and great help for my sister and me. This is how we found out about LUNGevity.
After my sister passed, I was looking for an outlet to donate. I’ve always been a runner, but I’ve never been a long distance runner. I wanted to do something that would be challenging as Alix had so many challenges during her two years. I decided to use my lungs as a platform to get the world out about lung cancer. I want to fight the stigma that it only happens to smokers—anyone with lungs can get lung cancer. Team LUNGevity and the TCS New York City Marathon seemed like the perfect solution.
After I signed up, I started talking to my friends about running with me, trying to build Team Alix. We are now up to nine people on the team including my brother-in-law, Alix’s husband, and friends from around the world, including Australia. Some of these people haven’t run in years and are going above and beyond their fitness level. It’s amazing to see all these people push themselves beyond their limits for Alix and others living with lung cancer.
Being over 50 and training for a marathon is not the easiest thing. Some days, I have to skip running; I know I need to listen to my body when it tells me it hurts. Luckily, a lot of Team Alix is in a similar position as our bodies are no longer 22. We can lament about our aches and pains together. This really helps me keep going.
Running is hard. Sometimes, I think Alix is probably looking down at me thinking, “Why are you doing this for me?” But when I’m over an hour into a long run by myself, thinking of Alix is what keeps me going. I couldn’t do this without her.
Despite how hard it is, I am proud to raise funds through running that will be used for lung cancer research and to support ALK Positive. I originally set my fundraising goal for $2,500, but raised it to $12,000 when I hit my goal in 48 hours. I think people like to support someone doing something they find challenging and interesting. Climb a mountain, swim across a river, hike a long trail—these things will keep people engaged and help you raise more money.
While fundraising is important, I also think advocating is a key piece of running with Team LUNGevity. When people find out I am running for my sister who had lung cancer, their first question is always: “Did she smoke?” Many have no idea anybody can get lung cancer. I enjoy educating those I can about the reality of lung cancer.
My sister should have lived a lot longer but sadly, she did not. It’s unfair, and I’m sure many in my position feel the same way about their families and friends that also battle lung cancer.
I hope one day they find a cure for lung cancer. When they do, I will be proud of my efforts and the money raised by Team Alix that contributed in some small way to lung cancer.
Follow Team Alix’s progress on Instagram @teamalixmartinez.
Interested in running with Team LUNGevity? Find out more.
Related Reading:
Fundraising Spotlight: The Gamper Family
How to Host Your Own Fundraiser
Ways to Get Involved in 2019 for Advocates
Kelley Beiboer lives in New York City. She is married to Paul Beiboer and has 2 children, Alexander and Isabel. Kelley will be running for her sister in the TCS New York city Marathon on November 3, 2019 for LUNGevity.