Maryland Half Marathon: A Do-It-Yourself Approach To Cancer Research Fundraising
BALTIMORE (WJZ)—Ask those who are trying to find a cure for diseases and they'll tell you that it is much harder to get funding for research.
Now, as Mike Schuh reports, a cancer center downtown is taking a do-it-yourself approach to finding the money.
We begin this story at the end.
"My name is Kira," said a little girl.
"My name is Khloe!" said her sister.
"My belly. This is going to be my third girl," said their mother.
Amy Babst says the fact that she can have children after her journey is nothing short of a miracle.
"I never expected to get cancer, especially at 23 and a brand new mom, but I've made some of the best friends and had the best experiences in life because of my cancer diagnosis," Babst said.
Her tumor was as big as your fist and it had spread. Now, five years cancer-free, Babst gives back.
She volunteers at the Maryland Half Marathon, benefiting the hospital that gave her her life back.
She hands out the medals at the end.
And one runner in particular makes her smile.
"And especially that Dr. Rapoport gets to run it, that's my favorite thing about it, being able to medal him after he finishes," Babst said.
She was treated at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center. Her doctor, Aaron Rapoport, has run and finished the race four times.
"I'm pretty slow," Rapoport said.
Maybe, but he's a great fundraiser--already having surpassed his personal goal of $8,000.
"These illnesses bring out the best in people and bring out hidden reservoirs of courage and strength that they didn't know they had and that rubs off on all of us, and I think we're all elevated by it," the doctor said.
So, we end this story with a new beginning.
Doctors, patients and staff are all running to pay for cancer research. The race happens in Howard County on May 11. Click here for details.
