In 2022, I learned that a friend of mine from university had been diagnosed with a brain tumour. Then, in 2023, I found out that a friend’s father had received the same diagnosis. Both of them demonstrated a kind of strength I had never witnessed before - the strength to get busy living, no matter what stood in their way. Their resilience came into focus at a meaningful time for me. I was training for my first marathon and searching for a cause that I could dedicate my effort to — something bigger than just crossing the finish line. I decided to fundraise on behalf of the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada to help patients and their families affected by this disease. Simply completing the race didn't give me the deeper sense of fulfillment I had often heard others describe. That feeling came from using the opportunity to support a cause that truly matters — raising funds for brain cancer research and helping bring attention to a critically underfunded area of need.