Run 4 Kon

Finding Cures . . . . Saving Children

(statue at St. Jude Children's Hospital)

This is St Jude's mission statement. I have always found it to be very matter of fact but meaningful at the same time. Short and to the point. This is what needs to be done to save children who have cancer. Find a cure.

St. Jude and others are constantly fundraising to help support the hospital. You will begin to see TV advertisements this fall about "Giving Thanks" - with celebrities. Our family is one of those who wants to give back to St. Jude for all they gave Konley and our family.

HOPE, it begins with a single step. My husband, Russ will run for those that can’t—the patients of St. Jude. He will be running a half marathon in Memphis on December 5th, to help raise money for St. Jude. He will make a difference in the lives of children fighting cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

You can be part of this of this experience by supporting financially or by prayer. His team is called Run 4 Kon. Just click on Run 4 Kon and it will take you to his St. Jude Hero website or on the link in the right column.

Konley at St Jude 2008

When Konley was a year old he was diagnosed with an anapestic ependymoma. Konley's family researched options and found Dr. Merchant of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital located in Memphis, TN. Late February 2000, they traveled to St. Jude to join Dr.Merchant. With his research on childhood ependymomas and the cutting edge radiation treatment at St. Jude, they offered great HOPE for Konley to live out a normal life. At the end of May 2000 they finished radiation treatments at St. Jude and returned home. The regular checkups back to St. Jude went from every three months; six months and finally survived to once a year with many successful yearly checkups.

On April 27, 2008, Konley returned to St. Jude for his annual checkup. For two years he had been assigned to the ACT (after completion of therapy) clinic. It was an honor to move to this clinic knowing it was for long term survivors of childhood cancer no longer needing treatment. And after 8 years of successful visits to St. Jude this one seemed like any other check up. It was confirmed on May 1st 2008 that there was a tumor in Konley's brain stem that connected to one in the right cerebellum. On Friday May 30th Dr. Morris called that the biopsy report was confirmed as an epyendomoma, stage 2. Although with this tumor being in the brain stem surgery was out of the question and because of the tumor size right now radiation was last on the list for treatment. So chemotherapy was his only option at keeping it stable and praying for it to shrink it. Konley received chemo treatments throughout the summer of 2008. It was decided later that the chemo was not helping the tumor and his parents choose to stop them.

Konley did not let the obstacles from the tumor interfere with the things he loved most to do in life. He still enjoyed going to the zoo, eating donuts at Lamars, fishing with his dad, and playing on the computer. Konley was very brave and strong in this unwanted battle in his life. Konley left us in January 2009.

Please help St. Jude Children's Hospital - Find a Cure and Save Children.