Cassie McDonald: Why I Run

For me, running is a personal challenge. I'm not built to be a runner and it's never been easy for me...and that's why I do it. In life, just like with running, it's the hard things worth fighting for, and it's overcoming a challenge that shows me what I am truly made of. As a physical therapist, I work with patients who have been through all kinds of trauma. To them, taking a first step after weeks (or months) in a hospital bed is their challenge, and every day I'm reminded of how lucky I am to be able to run until I can't breathe, my legs hurt, and I think I can't go one step further. I love digging deep down and finding the will to go the last mile (or on a bad day, 4 miles), because that's what I ask my patients to do every day...dig down, and find the strength to take a few more steps.  And that's why I run...for all the people I have or will work with who can't, and to remind myself that no matter what challenges in life (or on the road) present themselves, I can dig down and find the strength within myself to overcome.

As for why I'm running on the little team that could, it is simple. Sarah Farnell is one of the most genuine, caring, encouraging, and giving people I know. I've known so many people who have battled cancer, and it's a disease that affects all of us, directly or indirectly. I never knew Sarah's sister, but when Sarah asked me to be a part of her group and to raise money for Caring for Carcinoid, I didn't think twice...because I know she'd do the same for me (and probably more).

-Cassie

Jane Wilson-Moses: Why I Run

I run for my friends.

I don't actually run that much. Mostly I walk. But at least I'm moving!

In 2003, I was just 19, an awkward tall skinny girl, often mistaken for a boy, who drank too much. I laughed a lot but I was brittle. When I met the early members of this Little Team we were working together for the common joy at a summer camp for people with disabilities. That place and these people have changed my life.  Now I'm 26, still tall, a little less skinny, never mistaken for a boy. And I'm happy. I'm surrounded by complex, funny, beautiful friends. We have dinner together every Sunday night.

Back then most of us hadn't known a lot of loss. These days lots of us have. I move because Peppy, Rosey, and Allie have lost family to cancer. I move because I have cancer in my family. I move because I belong to a world where everyone loses people they love, to one thing or another, and with my friends I can do some small thing to stand up for life. Because life is sweet.

I move for life, and for love.

-Jane

Rachel Katz: Why I Run

On April 30th, I am running the Country Music Half-Marathon in Nashville, TN to raise money for carcinoid cancer research. I am running in honor of Payton Greaber, my college roommate's sister who passed away three years ago from this cancer at the young age of 29.  Caring for Carcinoid is an amazing organization that raises money for carcinoid research and is committed to finding a cure for this currently uncurable disease.  Every penny given to this organization goes directly to fund research.

This 13.1 miles race will be an amazing experience, as I will be running for Payton and all other families affected (~100,000) by this disease. For every $100 raised, I pledge a mile to a family member affected by carcinoid.  With just 13 donations of $100 (smaller and larger donations are accepted too! every penny counts!) I can cover the entire length of the race! Please consider donating to this great cause and you will be helping children and families, and help prevent future generations from suffering from this disease.

Thank you so much for your support!
-Rachel Katz

Allie Pillatsch: Why I Run

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."  2 Timothy 4:7

I run for my mom, Teresa Lynn Pillatsch.  It's been 8 years since she finished her race, and lost the battle to Ovarian Cancer.  The courage she had to live her life to the fullest, regardless of nearly a decade fighting illness, gives me hope that as long as we keep fighting for her, we will overcome this battle with cancer.

This will be my first Country Music Half Marathon.  I have been a Nashvillian for one year now, having left my family on the west coast.  In that year, I have found a new family.  With them I have found people who have been through exactly what I have been there.  In a way, our loss has brought us together, and allowed us all to keep the memory of the ones we have lost alive and well.  I'm proud to be a member of the Little Team That Could, and look forward to many years of running in the future.

-Allie

Erin Rose: Why I Run

It's that time of year again!

The Little Team that Could has officially begun training for our 5th Country Music Half Marathon in a row! This is my third year to run the race and I couldn't be more excited about all that this event brings to my life...spreading the word about Carcinoid research, planning the race and event parties with the team, all of those long LONG Saturday training runs, all of those wonderful WONDERFUL post-training run breakfasts, and simply the opportunity to watch winter turn into spring as we put our hearts and energies into something much greater than ourselves.

This team was originally formed out of loss.  As my best friend Sarah "Peppy" Farnell struggled through the pain of losing her sister to Carcinoid cancer, she turned to this race as a meaningful way to heal.  After losing my own father to an equally rare and incurable Sarcoma cancer almost exactly 2 years ago, I found myself responding to the cause in much the same way.   Yet over the years, I am so pleased to say, The Little Team that Could has grown and developed into so much more.

Each year, the team gets a little bigger, our bodies (and hearts) get a little stronger, and  amazingly it always brings something new to our lives.  This year Peppy, our remarkable team captain, is placing emphasis not simply on what we have lost, but all that we still have and especially all that we've gained.  I want to echo her tone of celebration and express my incredible pride and gratitude at being apart of something so special.

I am ever grateful for the support that my friends and family have shown me over the years. I can't properly put into writing how much all of the words of encouragement, donations, trips to see the race, and this year my sister Kellie actually joining the team, has meant to me.  If you have supported me in the past or are considering doing so now, please know that you have already given me so much more than a simple donation.  I truly thank you with all of the joy in my heart.

Please consider making a donation at our fundraising site.  Thank you again!

Love, love,
Erin

Julianne Billington: Why I Run

"And you're doing this for fun?" This has become the common response I get from people when I tell them about one of my long runs I'm embarking on! The past few years I've ran off and on with my main reason being for my health and making myself feel and look better. This past year however I decided to run for something other than just myself. When Sarah asked me to consider running for the Caring for Carcinoid Foundation in memory of Payton, I thought why not?!?  I now achieve my normal goal, but this gives me that extra motivation because when it's snowy, rainy, and cold and I don't want to run, I think of the greater good. This race is about so much more than me and my running! So this year when I run 13.1 miles I'm running for others who can't with the hope that one day there will be a cure for carcinoid!

Kellie Coleman: Why I Run

I have never been one to enjoy running...ask anyone who knows me. =)  For the past three years it seems so much has happened, one thing after another, that eventually you stop and question yourself. You do things you wouldn’t normally do.

I was pregnant with my now two and a half year old son when my daddy was diagnosed with a soft tissue sarcoma in his right leg. On September 22, 2008 my son was born, and 3 days later we found out daddy’s cancer had spread to his lungs. The following week he was given 6 months to live and sure enough, on March 17, 2009 daddy died. So fast it took him, and my son will only get to know him through the pictures that we show him.

You try to move forward with your life...you try to put back pieces that are broken and figure how to go on with all that has been taken from you and figure out who you are in the world without this person in it, and that takes a long time I have found.  But the days go by anyway whether you want them to or not and you have to keep living.

Jump forward a bit and l found myself reading a blog in January written by Sarah Farnell- "Peppy." Everyone started running this marathon in honor of her sister Payton who lost her battle to carcinoid cancer in 2007 at the way too young age of 29. She wrote in her blog "Perhaps that honesty can help someone else who is going through the process of grieving. Or the process of living." And I realized as I read her words it was time for me to stop putting all my focus on the past three years and start putting more focus on what is to come.

I realized I needed to do something big to keep me motivated and to help me actually keep in the process of moving forward. So I decided to run. Run away all my stress and let go of my grief.  Run with my sister Erin who I love so much. With Peppy, who I am so honored to run with - thank you for being such a wonderful friend to my sister. And with the rest of the team, who I get strength from knowing are all out there training just as hard as me.

But most importantly I am running to prove to myself that I am not broken. That life has not beat me down and that I can still get up to do something bigger than myself even when it hurts.  Training for this half marathon has not been easy so far, but I can already feel myself getting stronger after 3 weeks and that’s a nice feeling.

I am so excited to be a part of this marathon experience, and to raise money for such an important cause- Carcinoid cancer is a rare type of neuroendocrine cancer and every penny raised for the Caring for Carcinoid Foundation goes directly to cancer research. These rare cancers like sarcoma and carcinoid need all the help they can get in finding a cure. Please donate if you can and thank you so much for stopping by my page!
-Kellie

Sarah Farnell: Why I Run

I am so excited to be running in the Country Music Marathon and raising money for the Caring for Carcinoid Foundation for the fourth year in a row!!! Over the past few years, the Little Team that Could has raised over $30,000 dollars, every penny of which has gone directly to cancer research.

In addition to raising money, the Little Team That Could is dedicated to raising awareness of carcinoid cancer because, "If you don't suspect it, you can't detect it." Carcinoid cancer is a rare type of neuroendecrine cancer that took my sister's life when she was 29. Payton was a wonderful sister, daughter, and wife. I am honored to run in her memory.

I would like to take a moment to thank my teamates who are running this race with me. I am so lucky to have the best friends and family in the world and literally could not have made it through the past four years without them.

I have healed so much in the years since my sister died, and this race has been such a crucial part of the healing process. And so I want to thank all of you who have donated in the past and are considering donating now. This year we are running not only to remember those we have lost, but to celebrate those who remained behind and who have fought so hard to regain their lives. So come on out to Nashville and come celebrate with us! Thank you again for all your support!

Love, Sarah

FirstGiving Fundraising Site

We appreciate your donation!!! Thank you so much! We'll keep running just for you!