Cancer is ruthless. It steals futures, devastates families, and leaves behind unimaginable pain. I’ve lost family members and close friends to this relentless disease, and last year, my dear friend and colleague, Sirpa, found herself in the fight of her life.

Sirpa was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of sarcoma—a cancer that only 20 people in Finland get each year. Her battle was brutal. The treatment she underwent was so intense that it can only be given once in a lifetime—any more, and her heart wouldn’t withstand it. But even after enduring that, she now lives with the reality that her cancer is likely to return. She goes for scans every two months to monitor it. Her life expectancy is now something different than original.

Consider hearing that your remaining time is short, and there is nothing more medicine can do.
The fight against cancer isn’t a sprint—it’s a marathon. That’s why, this May, my girlfriend and I will be running the Stockholm Marathon to raise money for sarcoma research.

Sarcoma is especially vicious, often targeting young people. Sirpa shared the heartbreaking story of a 17-year-old boy in her community who lost his leg to sarcoma. Even after amputation, the cancer came back, and he passed away within a couple of years. This is the cruel reality of some types of sarcoma.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Right now, there are seldom long-term treatment options for sarcoma patients once the disease returns. The only hope is more research, better treatments, and ultimately, a cure. That is why we are supporting Vilja Linnea’s Sarcomafund, which operates under The Finnish Medical Foundation, an organization dedicated to fighting this rare and deadly cancer.

Neither my girlfriend or I are marathon runners. In fact, we haven’t trained in years. But every step, every struggle, and every moment of exhaustion we face on that course is nothing compared to what cancer patients endure every single day.