Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research

Bryce was absolutely my favorite person. I can easily say that because I know everyone else in my family would say the same thing about it.

I could go on for hours about how amazing he was. How he was  more like an older brother than an uncle to me. How he no matter what the situation always brought love and a smile into it. He was the family bartender as well as the family pastor, mixing drinks for all and uniting us in prayer before a meal.

He was the jack of all trades....he was exceptional in every form. With the minor infraction of not being a morning person. (Wait to speak to him until after 12pm to get his good side).

That being said I will never forget the night my brother Andrew called me and gave my Bryce's disagnosis. Pancreatic cancer is the least funded and one of the deadlist cancers there is. The 5 year survival rate is 7%.

Having watched my father, aunt, and step mother all beat cancer I was aware of certain obstacles and asked him the question I dreaded. "What kind of cancer is it?"

"Kristin are you sitting down?" "No, I'm fishing, just tell me" " Pancreatic". I remember dropping my phone falling to my knees on the beach and weeping.

Bryce fought for two years with treatmeant and changing his diet. He passed away May 6th, 2014 at the age of 34. 16 days after I welcomed my beauitful daughter Angie-Ree to the world, 3 days after my Birthday and a little more than a month shy of is 35th Birthday.

Running has become my mediation. My center and happy place. When I'm stressed, anxious, need a moment my family tells me to go and run it out.

I am not a runner by nature. I had a good friend tell me once "It's just one foot infront of the other, you can do it". I kept that mentality and just kept running. It brought be such a clear head and welcomed peace I just kept going.

I have run half marathons I have run over half marathons. I never thought in my wildest dreams I would ever be running a marathon. But I'm running in Bryce's memory and it is worth it. I am running to try and raise awareness for pancreatic cancer and to increase the survivial rate. I am running 'cause I don't  want another family to feel the loss in which my family felt and still does today.

Please help to increase the survivial rate for pancreatic cancer by making a donation that goes towards the Hirshberg Foundation. I love their motto " You Can Hope or You Can Help". I am choosing to help increase the 7% survival rate by running 26.2 Goddamn miles to raise funds and awareness in my uncles memory.

Founded in 1997, the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research is a national, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing pancreatic cancer research, and providing information, resources, and support to pancreatic cancer patients and their families.

Established by Agi Hirshberg, whose husband Ronald died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 54, the Foundation began by funding two projects at the University of California, Los Angeles. The Ronald S. Hirshberg Translational Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory and the Ronald S. Hirshberg Chair in Translational Pancreatic Cancer Research were funded with a commitment to support the research programs until the National Institute of Health grant recognition became available.

The Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research is a California charitable non-profit, corporation. The Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research is a California charitable non-profit, corporation.

Please take the time to visit their website @ http://pancreatic.org/ to learn more about their organization.

I appreciate all donations and support given. Know even if it is in the form of encouraging snapchats, texts or a donation all are appreciated.

Please help me to raise awareness of this deadly cancer and fund research to bring a cure.