Survivor Makes Triumphant Return to Run CWC 5K

Every other day Raquel Ramirez laces up her ASICS running shoes, plugs in her ear buds and sprints into pre-dawn darkness listening to Green Day’s “Still Breathing.”

“Just shine a light into the wreckage

So far away, away

'Cause I'm still breathing”

Thematically, songwriter Billie Jo Armstrong’s lyrics address “staying strong in the face of adversity and overcoming it” which Ramirez has, in aces.

One year ago, the young, pregnant mother fending off cancer while going through chemotherapy treatments put her baby son Maximux Crowe first.

“The other four kids got sweet names,” said Ramirez, “ but my baby got a super hero name, Maxiumus, and the name Crowe because he has the spirit of an animal that lives in a toxic community and thrives.”

Ramirez will be Christmas Without Cancer’s first survivor to run the non-profit’s 5K Run/Walk September 29 in her hometown of Evergreen Park, IL.

Ramirez will be surrounded by family at the starting line, but “if they can’t keep up they’ll have to find me at the finish line” said Ramirez.

With customized Team Raquel tee shirts and a “Run This Mother” theme, the Ramirez family folds into Christmas Without Cancer’s most crowded field, hundreds of walkers and runners inspired to raise funds so Christmas Without Cancer can help families faced with cancer this coming season.

“No, I was not a runner,” said Ramirez, who will symbolically don the Wonder Woman shield. “Running the 5K is a post-cancer mindset, ‘Why not? I’m alive.’.”

Ramirez playfully refers to herself as Raquel 2.0, the “new and improved version who says yes to everything.

“I think running and beating cancer are similar in that it’s mind over matter,” said Ramirez. “Now running has become a nice time for me.”

When Christmas Without Cancer founder Gerri Neylon first met Ramirez, the seasoned oncology nurse knew “the hell” the young pregnant mother/patient was heading into, even if Ramirez did not.

The strong-minded Ramirez was mother first and cancer patient second. The ever-wise and insightful Neylon insinuated herself and her nonprofit mission into Ramirez’s life. After sizing up her medical chart, Neylon insisted on seeing the young hospital patient to explain the benefits Christmas Without Cancer might bring to the family.

“I thought, ‘I’m hardly dressed yet and this guy Gerri is coming in,’,” said Ramirez. “And here she comes, this wonderful woman with this thing called Christmas Without Cancer.

“But I’m not comprehending. I wasn’t aware of the scope of it and thought I was going to be a $20 gift card from Target.”

From the first family Neylon helped to the next hundred family homes she entered, give cards from Target were like stocking stuffers, comparatively. From initial assessments, Neylon identified need. People who donate to Christmas Without Cancer indirectly help families with utility bills, medical bills and even mortgage payments so the mission remains the same:

Christmas Without Cancer identifies need and then provides gifts and basic necessities to Chicagoland families with members stricken with cancer so to allow the beauty of Christmas to shine through while family members find comfort in their devotion to one another.

“This Saturday people can come and know that their walking or running fee is helping a family right here where we live,” said Neylon. “We do great things together in our community when we help each other.”

Saturday marks the 4th Annual Christmas Without Cancer 5K Run/Walk to raise funds and begin the season of giving: Saturday 9:00 am - 11:00 a.m. at Circle Park, 9700 S Homan, Evergreen Park IL 60804

Register at www.christmaswithoutcancer.org.