This week in my St. Jude Spotlight I’m very excited to introduce you to Christian Harr from East Peoria. At 16 Christian was diagnosed with ALL Leukemia, which is supposed to be on of the easiest forms of cancer to treat. Supposed to be! Christian had quite the battle with his illness and spent quite a bit of time at the hospital in Memphis, he even needed to have a hip replacement do the the reactions from chemo. To hear his story simple go here in our podcast section or listen throughout the day today with me from 3-7pm. I met Harr when I did my first St. Jude Run four years ago, he got a hold of me to just say thank you for running and that he was a former patient and a huge fan of 105.7 The X often attending our concerts like the Nutcracker and Spring Fling. He said that although we had met a show before he’d love it if we could meet up at the telethon at the end of the run and take a photo together, its been a tradition every year and the one thing I look forward to the most every year at the conclusion of the run. The photo below is our pictures throughout the years and I can’t wait too add the new photo in just a few weeks.
Today Harr is enrolled in ICC, is now 23 and his cancer is in remission. He still has to go to Memphis once year for check-ups to make sure he’s still in remission and this is what I love the most about Christians St. Jude story and that is that St. Jude is still covering his medical expenses related to his cancer 100%! He and his family has never seen a bill; not for treatment, travel, food or lodging, they never have and never will and clearly at 23 he’s no longer a child. Because he was diagnosed and treated all under the age of 18 St. Jude will ALWAYS have his back. Even if the cancer comes back (and we hope it never does) St. Jude will still cover all the expenses. I always bring that up because its HUGE! When I had cancer almost instantly my thought was “how am I going to pay for it?” and the answer was, a little at a time and slowly. Just a few months ago I finally paid off all my past cancer related medical expenses but there will still be more because I also have to be monitored for three more years. I share this because that’s not the issue with Christian, nor should it EVER BE AN ISSUE, when you are diagnosed with cancer your worry should be “how do I fight and beat this” not “how will I pay”. Thanks to St. Jude that happens.
Please take the time today to tune in a hear Harr’s story, or simply listen to the full interview NOW online right HERE. I hope his story inspires you to give to the St. Jude Run, where 100% of the money raised goes directly to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and will benefit not just the children and families here in Peoria but all over the world. $5, $10, $20 or more, the donation amount doesn’t matter, what does is that you get off your ass and GIVE. www.peoriaruns.stjude.org/annakinkade
The St. Jude Chicago to Peoria run will take place on Friday July 31st-August 1st, this will be my fourth year running. My fundraising goal is $7,000, if I reach that goal in the four years I’ve been participating we will have raised a total of over $21,000! That one dollar, does add up and makes a difference.
