"I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer in January of 2023. During some of the darkest days of my life running was something that kept me, me. Now that I am on the other side of chemo and radiation, building up my mileage and putting races on the calendar has helped me feel more and more like the Christine I was before my diagnosis."

In October 2013, I was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma - sublingual salivary gland cancer. I am happy to support the Brave Like Gabe Foundation and it is a privilege to be able to walk the 5K each year. Our cancer is so rare and giving to BLG makes me feel even more engaged than with any other causes. I want to see more progress in the research so that more lives can be saved. I continue to be #BraveLikeMarty, wanting to be a beacon of light for each of my ACC friends.

“I’m thankful that being an athlete has created a relationship of trust with my body and intuition. When I started experiencing symptoms from PV, I knew something was off. Running gave me an outlet to feel my emotions and just feel alive. It is a reminder of who I am and what I am capable of. I am convinced that running is going to keep me alive and counteract the impact PV may have on me physically.” 

Today, Mark is 70 years old, cancer-free and logging his daily runs on his social media profile titled, “Old Runner Guy.” Mile after mile, the overwhelming theme in Mark’s life is dedication despite adversity. He never gives up and shares that message with everyone he meets. Thank you Mark for sharing your story and showing us what it means to be #RunningOnHope!

We are saddened to share that Courtney Frohling passed away on February 26th, 2024 after a 5 year rare cancer journey. In 2021, Courtney submitted her story to share with the Brave Like Gabe community. She wrote, “#BraveLikeCourtney means not giving up because I'm not done running or living! Running has helped prepare my body and mind to be in great shape to fight this battle.”

Being diagnosed with cancer as a 23-year-old is weird. It’s honestly hard to relate to others your age. Rarely does someone share a story of a young adult who experienced cancer. From the first time I heard Gabe’s story, it immediately resonated with me. As I was in and out to treatment during the summer of 2018, her story was one that I always went back to for inspiration, and honestly a distraction from what I was dealing with. ‘Relentlessly optimistic’ is not how you’d hear my friends or family ever describe me, but following Gabe’s story without a doubt provided me hope when I needed it most.

“Being #BravelikeFrenchy means choosing positive and living life fully one day at a time. I am often asked, ‘how do you do it?’ It was an easy choice to stay positive. I have to accept my situation and know that I can only control what I can do. So I will focus on what I can do and stay active.”

Being active is a big part of being able to bounce back after tough cancer treatments like chemo, radiation, or surgeries. Start with short walks and build on those! Do a little more each day. You will be surprised how far you can get in a short period of time! Don't let your set-backs bring you down- let them motivate you! Encourage your family and friends to join you and motivate each other!

“I have choices in life - I can sit and cry and choose not to act in-line with my values. Or, I can choose to take the situation I’m in and make the most out of it. I was going through chemo at this time last year and here I am running 26.2 miles! Mindset means a lot and I know my actions can have a ripple effect.”

“I will be marking my personal victory of 1000 days of sobriety on race day as I run the TC 10 Mile on Team Brave Like Gabe. Alcohol was no longer a companion but an enemy, jeopardizing my potential as a mother, wife, daughter, and friend. Like Gabe and countless others, my fight wasn't a choice, but my response was - I chose bravery. Acknowledging one's bravery can be tough, yet it's crucial, especially for women like me who've grappled with addiction and emerged victorious.”