Whether you’re running the Spirit of Survival to be healthy or to honor someone you know who has cancer, the proceeds all go to the same place–The Cancer Centers of SWOK.
Jennifer Cox has done the Spirit of Survival for the past few years, but this year’s race is different. In October of 2017, her mother was diagnosed with lung cancer.
“We thought we were planning a funeral at that point,” Cox said. “It was very disheartening. Now she’s completed her treatments, so she’s done well. We’re just very pleased at how well she’s responded to the treatments.”
Now she and her mother are training for the spirit of survival together. But this time, it’s a little more personal.
“It’s just a whole different vibe and aspect to have my mom there with me knowing everything that she’s been through,” Cox said.
Cox says the training is fun, and everyone is so supportive.
“I love that everyone is so upbeat with the Spirit of Survival,” Cox said. “Everyone encourages everyone no matter what your fitness goals, or your level of exercise, they encourage everybody. Everybody just pumps everybody up.”
She the Spirit of Survival is a great way to connect with people and just leave feeling better about yourself.
“It’s just a really great experience just to see the survivors and the people that are doing it for loved ones, or people that have passed, people that are still fighting it,” Cox said. “It’s just really empowering to everyone that participates.”
All the proceeds raised at the Spirit of Survival go to benefit the patients at the Cancer Centers of SWOK. Cox says she can’t say enough good things about the care her mother received at the cancer center.
“This is an amazing place that you can come for treatment. They treat the whole person, not just the disease,” Cox said. “And it’s right here in our hometown. You can have access right here, you don’t have to travel for treatment. You can have the best treatment right here in Lawton.”
The 13th Annual Spirit of Survival is October 13th and 14th with the bike rides on Saturday and the walk and run races taking place on Sunday. To register for the events please visit spiritofsurvival.com.