Inspiration for running: Stephanie

I have two younger sisters, Stephanie and Dara. Stephanie was about 2.5 years younger than me; Dara is close to 6 years younger.

In fall of 1997, Stephanie was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease, a lymphoma. We all were hopeful about her prognosis because, at the time, Hodgkin’s was one of the most curable types of cancer. She underwent chemotherapy and radiation treatment, and was considered to be in remission. About nine months later, the cancer came back.

The seven years over which Stephanie dealt with her cancer are kind of a blur for me. She went through so many different treatments; ones that helped and ones that didn’t. Infections. Side effects. Hospitalizations. A bone marrow transplant using her own marrow. Not being able to have another transplant using a matching donor’s marrow (a.k.a. my bone marrow) because it was too risky.

All that pain and difficulty might break some people’s spirit. Not Steph. Her favorite phrase was, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” And she made LOTS of lemonade. While being treated for cancer, Stephanie raised two kids (three if you count her husband), finished a college degree, worked as a preschool teacher, and volunteered for the South Jersey Cancer Fund. In 1999, friends organized the first Stephanie Burke Beach Run in her honor. Stephanie never gave up and always kept her sense of humor. When we found out I was a bone marrow match, she sent an e-mail wondering what kind of crime she could commit and blame on me by leaving my DNA at the scene.

As kids, Stephanie and I didn’t really get along (and we had our moments as “grownups” too). We were very different people with very different interests and personalities. But watching her deal with her cancer, and seeing how strong she was and how much she loved her family, I developed a new appreciation for what an amazing person she became. Living 5,000 miles away (give or take) from her made it easy to distance myself from what she was going through, but also made it harder for me to be there for her.

On July 29, 2005, Steph was admitted to the hospital because she was having so much trouble breathing. She’d had things like that happen before, so we waited to see what would happen. My mother called me the morning of July 31 and said that Stephanie wasn’t doing well and maybe I should come. Steph was too weak to talk to me, so I made my mother promise to make sure Steph knew I was coming. By the time I got in to Philadelphia Stephanie was doing quite poorly and only surviving thanks to life support. Dara picked me up at the airport and rushed me to the hospital. I got to spend a few minutes with Stephanie. She wasn’t conscious or awake, but I believe she knew I was there and heard what I said to her. Within an hour of my arrival, she was gone. Her body was too tired to fight any more and it sent her spirit elsewhere.

Stephanie is one of the biggest inspirations for starting running, and for doing it through Team in Training. Hopefully the money we all raise will help find a cure so other people’s sisters and families don’t have to go through what Stephanie did.

Advertisement