When we first moved to North Carolina, one of the first friends we made were Lana’s parents. We were introduced and quickly bonded over the excitement of both expecting babies just weeks apart. Our children were supposed to grow up together, playing and making memories side by side.

Then, everything changed. Lana was diagnosed with brain cancer. No child, no family, should have to face something so devastating.

That’s why I’ve accepted the challenge to participate in the Angels Among Us 5K and Walk for HOPE. This will be Phoenix’s first 5K, and even though it means waking up at 7 AM the morning after my birthday, there’s no other place I’d rather be.

The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke is one of the oldest and most respected brain tumor research and clinical programs in the country. The funds raised at this event go directly to groundbreaking research and cutting-edge clinical trials—work that gives hope to families like Lana’s and so many others facing this fight.

If you feel moved to do so, please consider supporting my fundraising efforts. Every donation, big or small, makes a difference. Just click the Donate Now button to contribute. Your tax-deductible gift will help advance treatments and bring hope to families in their hardest moments.

Thank you for standing with me, for standing with Lana’s family, and for being part of something bigger than any one of us. Your support truly means the world. ❤