Motivation Monday

Where we are headed into a holiday week with lots of tempting treats, what better motivation than to share the impact of Dr. Bruce Spiegelman's research on the link between obesity and cancer, which determined why obesity is a risk factor in 10-15% of human cancers. Dr. Spiegelman's research, supported by the Barr program in 2005, demonstrated that obesity causes many body-wide alterations in metabolism, hormone levels, and inflammation, and that these abnormalities may affect the development and progression of cancers. Determining the link between obesity and these cancers could be instrumental to inhibiting cancer development in both obese and non-obese people, leading to the potential for major breakthroughs in the development of new ways to treat and prevent cancer.

Something to think about when reaching for that second helping of mashed potatoes...or rather, to give you motivation to go run them off after!

Oh and since we're talking second helpings of mashed potatoes - why not a second helping of motivation to go with it?

Wherever you find yourself running (and eating mashed potatoes) this week, I wish you and your families a blessed and happy Thanksgiving holiday. We have so much to be thankful for, and I am particularly thankful for my health and all of you!

New and Improved Monday Motivation

Happy Monday everyone!  This past week we had our first DFMC team meeting (a more complete recap forthcoming...it's been a busy week!) and it inspired me to reformat my Monday Motivation. Since the BIGGEST motivation is knowing that I am helping my team to raise over $5.3 billion dollars to fund cutting edge cancer research, I am going to start including some of the impact statements that give a sense for the truly life changing and saving research being done through the Barr Program, which receives 100% of the funds raised by the DFMC.

For example, the 2008 Barr research project of Loren Walensky, MD, PhD.  Dr. Walensky's project 

focused on the development of new therapies with the potential to reactivate the “executioner” function of cancer cells and prevent their uncontrollable growth.

All living cells contain “executioner proteins” that help control the growth of normal cells. 

Cancer cells find a way to prevent activation of these proteins, enabling them to replicate 

uncontrollably. Dr. Walensky generated novel compounds that bind to these proteins in cancer cells, reactivating their “executioner” function and triggering cell death. By integrating chemistry, biology and cancer medicine, this work has the potential to create groundbreaking new therapies for multiple types of cancer, many of which no longer respond to conventional therapies.

And NONE of that research - or that which has been done in the other amazing projects you will learn about each week - could have happened without the generous gifts from donors like you!

I am sure Dr. Walensky and so many other talented and dedicated researchers have had days where they were unsure whether their hard work would make a difference. But they push on undeterred, keeping the ultimate goal and finish line (a world without cancer) on the horizon, and their work has had tremendous and far reaching impact. Could you imagine what would have happened if they just gave up when it got hard?  Not an option.  So yes, while I will certainly have days where I am unsure whether I can raise $10,000 and run 26.2 miles, seeing the true impact this challenge makes is all the motivation I need.  

www.RunDFMC/org/2015/erincollins

Monday Motivation