It seems like nearly all families have been impacted by cancer.  Rhonda Blum, The SAAGNY Foundation chair since mid-2012, and her family is no different.  Rhonda turned her family's tragedy into an source of inspiration for so many.  Read her family's story:

The year was 1978 and I was in my first year of college. The oldest of three children and the only girl, I was finally happy to be out of the house and getting on with my life as an individual. But the realities of life would present themselves when my middle brother Howard was diagnosed with lymphoma.

The disease would claim Howard in a matter of months and our lives - mine, my youngest brother’s and those of my parents - would be altered forever. Each of us dealt with our loss in a different way, and mostly not for the better. For me, I internalized it and it simply became a dark secret I held on to for many years.

In 2009, I found myself participating in the Promotions East 5K Run.  Six weeks later, I was participating for first time at The SAAGNY Foundation’s annual trip to Happiness is Camping, a camp is for children battling myriad forms of cancer. Some are actively undergoing treatment while at the camp, some are between treatments. But all of the campers are either battling the disease or the sibling of a child who is.

While I spent a certain amount of time that day depressed by the situation these children found themselves in, I was also in awe of their spirit. That’s when the idea came to me. I decided to make my brother’s memory a source of pride rather than a painful secret. The idea of having a charitable event in my brother’s name - with The SAAGNY Foundation - suddenly came together like so many puzzle pieces. For me, the Howard Alan Blum 5K-4-5K is more than just a name. It casts a positive light on a part of my life that for many years was anything but that.

The 2014 Howard Alan Blum 5K Run/Walk will be
held on Wednesday, May 21 at 7:00 am beginning
on the Boardwalk in front of the Revel Hotel.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER