I have such fond memories of my aunt Siggi, even her aura sticks with me to this day. I remember her for her kind and gentle spirit while always bringing smiles to our faces and laughter in our lives. She meant the world to me, my family, my cousin, my uncle, and especially to my mom, her only younger sister. 

In the year 2000, we were all stunned by my aunt’s diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Mind you this was after months of symptoms explained away by her doctor. With little to no research back then, it was difficult to identify or diagnose. It was especially hard given my family still lived on the east coast while my aunt, uncle and cousin had moved out to Washington state years before. My aunt unfortunately lost her battle a couple of months later on Thanksgiving. This had a great impact on our lives and while for many years was a deep wound, it taught us great lessons about health, early detection and intervention.

It means the world to me to be able to honor my aunt and run the NYC Half Marathon (bringing me back to my soccer playing days) to raise money for many women and families who have been impacted by ovarian cancer. I hope to continue to spread awareness and education. All women should ALWAYS trust their gut and listen to their bodies. This saves lives.

If you feel strongly, I would greatly appreciate any support in my fundraising efforts for the 2025 United Airlines NYC Half. Each donation makes a difference to further educate and advocate for women's health. All women should trust their gut and listen to their bodies. Please click on the donate button!