Cancer, cancer, cancer. Although we constantly hear about better treatments and more survivors winning their fight against the dreaded disease, in Crookston at least, cancer has been generating more headlines and sad conversations of late.
Terrie Brule Stueber. Mike Normandin. Both well-known and much-loved longtime Crookston residents who were diagnosed with cancer and, in January, passed away.
But that's two people, and that's only over the past few weeks. There are many, many others who have been touched by cancer for generations.
Take Lisa (Rongen) Duckstad. Cancer took both of her parents from her, and three aunts have been diagnosed. Admittedly not a runner, much less a marathon runner, Duckstad's determination to somehow try to make a difference in the battle against cancer and also honor her loved ones who have died or are still in the fight brought her to the Fargo Marathon last year. She didn't run the full 26.2 miles, but was part of a large contingent running smaller portions and relays as part of the American Cancer Society's "Charity Runners" initiative.
"It was magical," she said.
Duckstad wrote "Mom and Dad" across the front of her running shirt, and she was joined by longtime friend and Crookston native Kirsten Johannson, who owns the Jenny Craig franchises in Fargo and Grand Forks. Jenny Craig will once again have a team in this year's Fargo Marathon on May 22 and, along with Duckstad's employer, Alltel Wireless, is a corporate sponsor.
This year, ACS has replaced "Charity Runners" with its new nationwide cancer/marathon theme, "DetermiNATION." And Duckstad and Johannson are plenty determined to raise as much money as they can before the marathon and, even better, encourage as many people as possible to actually participate in the event – don't worry, not the full marathon – by being a part of the Crookston team.
Jodi Dragseth, co-owner of JJ's Bodyshop in Crookston, is captain of that team, and on Feb. 11 from 5 to 7 p.m., the fitness center will be hosting a blitz to generate as much participation and as many donations as possible. JJ's will be offering various incentives to those who stop in, Dragseth said. She's formed a relay team featuring herself, Brenda Anderson, Missy Ricord and Katie Welter.
Duckstad and Johannson each ran the 10K portion of the Fargo Marathon last year, which begins and ends at the FargoDome. Duckstad said she can't recall a more amazing feeling than when the big Jumbotron screens outside the Dome showed runners progressing toward the finish, and then running into the facility to emotional cheers.
The ACS DetermiNATION Website, http://determination.acsevents.org/fargo, lets marathon participants or contributors tell their own stories about why they're helping out. Duckstad's story from 2009 and again this year is all about doing things she didn't know she was capable of, in order to honor those she loves who are no longer here because of cancer, or are currently staring cancer in the face.
"I knew this challenge was going to be difficult for me as I am not a runner, but I ran for all who suffer from cancer," reads her story. "I lost both my parents to this degrading disease and my kids will never know their Grandma and Grandpa and that isn't fair. I wasn't going to let my body quit. I wasn't going to give up. I was going to finish the race and make a difference."
Contributing to the cause is practically effortless, Johannson said. The Website takes care of just about everything, and if you participate beyond a donation and actually become a part of a team and gather donations yourself, she said the Website makes it simple, even helping you create your own page and generating automatic thank-you emails to those who contribute to your efforts.
Dragseth, Johannson and Duckstad all graduated from Crookston Central High School with Laurie Wavra, Brule Stueber's older sister by one year.
"It's about Terrie and her family, it's about anyone who's been touched by this," Duckstad said. "It really drives a person. You get angry, sad, mad, glad...and you just keep running."
Overall, marathon organizers hope for 20,000 runners on May 22. As for ACS, the goal is to have at least 100 of those runners there because of their involvement with ACS DetermiNATION Runners.
There will be an ACS DetermiNATION Runners VIP tent at the Fargo Marathon and, in addition to the names that people choose to write on their running shirts that they're honoring, Duckstad said participants will get a "sticky singlet" to put on their shirt in honor of each person they're running for.
"I'm going to have a lot of singlets, some amazing women, and amazing people," she said.
"We're trying to make this as simple as possible for anyone who wants to help in any way," Johannson added. "Visit the Website because it's incredible, or come to JJ's (on Feb. 11). Any contribution of any size makes a difference. Every penny helps someone.
"And if you want to run," she added, "then let's run!"
