cancer awareness Archives - Our Unique Life

Team Rose

08.23.2015 by oul_admin // 1 Comment

With family & family friends at the Scope it Out 5K in Washington, DC

My mother, Katherine ‘Rose’ had a heart of gold, and spent her life helping those she saw in need. Even after she was diagnosed with cancer, she still dedicated her life to helping her family, friends, and others who needed help. She was always sending a card or simple word of encouragement to everyone around her.

In honor of her beautiful life, I’m starting a non-profit, Team Rose, aimed at contributing to cancer research and providing support to cancer patients by letting them know that they are not alone in the fight. Team Rose has already begun by running in the Scope It Out 5K in Washington, DC for Colon Cancer Awareness last March and more recently delivering beautiful yellow roses to the oncology patients at a local hospital in Newport News, VA.

Now it’s time to raise funds to become an official non-profit to help even more people! Click here to buy a shirt.

Delivering roses to the oncology patients at a local hospital

Beautiful yellow roses

Much love,

Krystal Antonique

Run From Your Heart

04.05.2015 by oul_admin // Leave a Comment

Ran in memory of my mother

This is a follow-up to my last post Run For Your Life. In February, I challenged myself to run 28 times in 28 days to raise money for the races that I signed up for in March. I ended up raising $155. It may not seem like a lot, but it’s a start. This is not the end to my journey to put cancer on the run!

In my first race of the month, the Chris4Life Scope It Out 5K, around 4,000 people raced for colon cancer awareness. The money raised in the race goes towards spreading awareness, giving cancer patients resources, colon cancer research, and much more.

Kassie Marque and I on the metro

Wrote my mother’s name on the beautiful colorful chalkboard

Team Rose

That next weekend, I ran in the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K as part of the Massey Challenge. The Massey Challenge raises money for cancer research at the VCU Massey Cancer Center. I decided that running solo would be a great experience so I ran alone. As soon as I got out of my cousin’s car to head to the race, the cold hit me. I stood out in the cold for almost an hour waiting for my wave to start. When I finally started running, my body warmed up. Bands played throughout the race and countless supporters stood on the sidelines cheering us on with motivating signs. The groups with signs varied from an Irish Pub to a church to Team Massey. The energy was great.

At the start of my wave.

I love my powerful and strong “thunder thighs” lol

Writing my mother’s name in pink

At the end of the race. Team Massey earned around $415K of their $500K goal.

It was truly a blessing! I want to run these races again as
well as run a half-marathon sometime in the near future.

Antonique

Run For Your Life

02.08.2015 by oul_admin // Leave a Comment

Run for your life!

Life has been so busy lately. In all of that craziness, I’ve still gotten a chance to consistently work on my goal for this month.

This month, I’ve pledged to run 28 times for 28 days in February to raise money for cancer awareness. If I miss a day of running, I can double up another day.

Why this month? I decided to do this to raise money and continue to get in shape for the races I’m running in for Colon Cancer Awareness Month in March. You can read about my motivation in my last post here.

I’ve decided to switch up my workouts between long runs, sprint workouts, hills, and intervals. I’m also incorporating other workouts such as weight-lifting, Zumba, calisthenics, and various workout DVDs. I will also pay attention to my body & rest when necessary.

Selfie at the track earlier today

I joined Team Massey, to benefit the VCU Massey Cancer Center, because I wanted to help an organization that is doing something to actively fight cancer & be part of an organization that I could visit easily if I wanted to.

I was inspired by another blogger, Briana of Still Easier Than Chemo, who’s story I can definitely relate to. She decided to fight cancer by running a half-marathon every month for a year. Briana believes that no mater how hard each race is, it’s still easier than going through chemotherapy.

Last year’s Team Massey poster

In March, I’m planning to run the colon cancer awareness Chris4Life 5K race in Washington D.C. with family and friends followed by the Ukrop’s Monument Ave 10K race in Richmond. I’ve run these distances before, but I want to do my best for the cause.

My page for the Massey Challenge- here