When I arrive at the park on that late April Saturday morning, I take a deep breath of fresh Carolina air. It’s time to relax after a busy and stressful season of fundraising. The atmosphere is light, face painters and teal swag are everywhere and I know we are about to have a great race and a great day! I can feel that she is with us, looking down and smiling proud, although, she probably isn’t thrilled with the team name. 😜 To know how much the Teal Diva 5k and Dolor’s O

My mother, Maria Valentina Martins, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in February, 2010. Her life’s journey ended too soon thereafter, on January 21, 2012. As is too often the case, she was not diagnosed with ovarian cancer until Stage III. For months prior to her diagnosis, my mother did not feel well. She complained of constant stomach distress on a daily basis. Just the year before, she had seen her Gastroenterologist and had many diagnostic tests performed. The resul

When I was asked by Shannon to talk about being a caregiver; I couldn’t have been more humbled and honored because I know her story and I know the high standard set by her husband being a caregiver during her journey. So on that note, I’m all too happy to share with you my experience and perspective on being a caregiver for my wife, Tracy Riazzi, or as I call her my beautiful smiling bride. The nickname is something that I always thought of in my heart from the beginning bu

Our cancer story started on August 20, 2011, after being married just about a year and a half, I was 28, and my wife, Katie, was 25. I got a call from Katie, a nurse at a cardiologist office at the time, while I was at work that she was having pain in her abdomen and the doctor at her office thought it was appendicitis. I wasn’t alarmed. I had heard of appendicitis. It’s something that you go in, have a minor surgery to have it removed since nobody really knows what it do