What's your legacy?

When I sat down to write this blog post on Saturday with a big plan to address juice. Yes...juice. I was going to write everything I hate about juice and why you should banish it from your diet in favor of the whole fruit alternative, blah, blah, blah. But when I sat down something changed. That something was a Facebook message. It was from my best friend Jodie and it was a page about one of our mutual girlfriends, Pam. Pam is our age. We grew up together and went to school together. The post announced that our dear friend has been diagnosed with Leukemia and B-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. As I sat in shock I read the details: Pam is undergoing her second round of chemo but also requires a life-saving bone marrow transplant in addition to her other therapies. And sadly, no one in her family is a match.

Many of us have been affected by cancer. But Pam's story hit me hard. She's my age. She's always been a healthy person. She went to the doctor complaining of sever fatigue and other symptoms and was diagnosed with a disease that changed her life. So all of the sudden, as I sit to write my blog the topic of juice seems so trivial.

What did I want to share this week instead? I could write about cancer and the impact it's having on the American population. I could stress the importance of health and fitness in reducing your chances of experiencing a life-threatening illness. I could spout out facts and figures, but instead I want to say this: You are given one life. One body, which is yours to borrow for a very short span of time. One chance to write your story and create your legacy. Yes, I believe you should treat your body with kindness and respect. You should nourish it and move it so you can live the healthiest life possible. But more importantly I ask you, what is your story and what do you want to leave behind? Are you living a life that will leave a positive imprint on those around you? Are you living a life you are proud of? None of us knows how long we will be on this earth, but this week I invite you to take time to examine your own story; and if you don't like where the plot is headed then change it. Only you have the power to re-write the ending. So go out and do it.

My friend Pam has an immense battle ahead of her. To show support and raise awareness for leukemia, lymphoma and bone marrow donation, Driven Fitness will host a fundraising event on February 22 in Huntington Beach. The Pier-to-Pier 3 mile run and 11.6 mile beach cruise will start at 9am and we hope to raise $5k for Pam's treatment. I hope you can be there to join me in not only supporting those fighting against cancer but also to raise awareness about the disease within our community. Click here for details and to register! If you'd like to learn more about becoming a bone marrow donor for patients like Pam, please visit Be the Match.