Breast cancer has shaped my life for as long as I can remember. On my mother's side, four generations of women, including me, have tested positive for the BRCA1 mutation, which greatly increases the risk of breast and ovarian cancer. My great-grandmother, grandmother, and mom have all battled breast or ovarian cancer.

Soon after completing her chemo treatment, my mom walked all 60 miles of the Dallas Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk. Her resilience became part of my family's legacy. Inspired by her example, my grandfather has since participated in seven Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walks.

When I got older, my mom helped me understand what carrying the BRCA1 mutation meant for my own future.With her support and guidance from doctors, I chose to have a preventative mastectomy. It was a hard decision, and not something I took lightly. But given my genetics and family history, I knew the odds were high that I'd face that surgery at some point. Prevention let me make the choice proactively and on my own terms.

I am grateful for the awareness, education, and resources like Susan G Komen that made that choice like this possible, but I want more than options for future generations.

That is why I am excited to run the NYC Marathon with Susan G. Komen: to honor my mother and grandmother, continue my family's fight against breast cancer, and help fund research that can make this disease less common and less devastating.

Please help me support Susan G Komen by making a donation through my page. Thank you so much for your support! Please don't forget to send this page to any friends you think might be interested in donating.