The 13,985th Day and Beyond...

13,984 Days -- or -- 1,997 Weeks and 5 Days. That is how long my mom lived. Today, Saturday, August 25th is my 13,985th day of life. I circled this day on the calendar last September on the 30th anniversary of her passing when I realized that in 2018 I would be turning the same age as my mom was when she died of Melanoma. It seemed like a scarier age to me than some of the new decade milestone birthdays that can induce a sort of life crisis in some people. I thought maybe I would throw a big party today or go away on a fun trip but since my life has no shortage of either of those, it is more fitting to commit to something I have never done before but always said I would do one day... run the NYC Marathon! Up until now, I have always been too excited to be on the other side of the 1st Avenue barricades cheering and partying on my favorite day of the year in NYC but people who have run the NYC Marathon say there is nothing better than being between those barricades so as someone to never miss out on fun, I will have to let you know late afternoon November 4th if I agree...

I'm honored to be running the 2018 NYC Marathon with Jack's Marathon Team. When I decided to actually commit just two weeks ago when my friend Joanna signed up with American Cancer Society, I knew that I wanted to do a smaller charity so when I came across Jack's Fund and read about Jack, a father of 4 with a zest for life who fought a courageous 9 month battle with metastatic melanoma, it seemed like I was almost destined to raise money and run with them. You can read more about Jack here: https://jacksfund.org/about/whos-jack/

Help me raise awareness and raise research funding to cure melanoma. Just a small donation will go a long way to helping me meet my goal.

I would be remiss not to mention that unlike other cancers, a large percentage of melanomas and skin cancers are PREVENTABLE. Regular skin checks at the dermatologist and safe sunscreen like Beautycounter (https://www.beautycounter.com/devonhealy) are your best friends. Tanning booths and tanning oil are not ;)

Thank you so much,

Devon

#JMT, #SPF262

More about the Jack's Team:

Jack's Fund Vision Statement: "We envision a world where every adult and child is aware of the risks of melanoma and takes preventative measures; where those who suffer from melanoma receive comfort and healing; and ultimately, where every case of melanoma will be completely curable."

2018 Goal: Raise $100,000 for melanoma research and awareness programs.

• Melanoma is the most underfunded of all cancers by federal and private agencies.
• One person dies from melanoma every hour (54 minutes).
• Early detection makes melanoma highly curable, but it is the least screened cancer.
• People find their own melanoma more frequently than doctors do and melanoma detection is not a training requirement for most medical disciplines.

Jack's Team: Established in 2005 when a group of athletes came together to join the fight against melanoma. Jack's Fund has been an official marathon charity for 12 years and disbursed over $300,000 to research. We invite athletes of varied experience from all stages of life to join Jack's Team.

Our success stems from a unique Strength, Passion and Focus (SPF) each member brings to the team.

Your fundraising efforts and dedication to raising awareness will truly make a difference. To learn more, please visit our website at Jacksfund.org.

If you prefer to donate by check, please indicate the runner you are supporting and the race name. Forward your check to:

Jack's Fund, P.O. Box 436, Glen Ellyn, IL 60138 ATTN: Jack's Team

Jack's Team encourages and accepts corporate matching programs. Please contact us with any questions.