When Janice Conroy, a Lake Orion resident and first grade teacher at Carpenter Elementary School, registered to run in last year’s Race for the Cure for The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, she had no idea that she would soon be battling cancer herself.
‘I took up running last spring and wanted to get involved in some races,? she said. ‘I had registered for the race and shortly after I found out I had breast cancer.?
Conroy, who was only 34 when she was diagnosed, had surgery immediately after and was unable to run in the race. She is currently cancer free, and credits friends like Jeannine Crissman, the media specialist at Carpenter who ran in Conroy’s honor with some other teachers in last year’s Race for the Cure, for helping her recover.
Conroy was finally able to run in the race herself this year, finishing first out of the cancer survivors running in this year’s Race for the Cure, held June 5 at Comerica Park.
‘It was only the third race I’ve run in,? she said. ‘I ran in the Dragon Dash last year, and the Oxford Optimist Club’s 10K race, the Boulder Dash.?
Of the Race for the Cure, Conroy said she was ‘blown away by how fabulous it is.?
‘I raised $250,000…my goal is to get to $500,000 before July 9, the last day to turn it in,? she said.
Conroy, who has no history of breast cancer in her family, got her diagnosis on May 21, 2003, and said Crissman was with her at the time.
‘I knew I had cancer, and the next week I’d have surgery,? said Conroy, a mother of a three-year-old son named Dane. ‘The outpouring from my teacher friends..the kids (in her class) didn’t know.
‘There were more flowers at my house than my own wedding,? she said. ‘I cried the day I found out I had cancer, but I didn’t cry after that. My friends? love lifted me above it.?
Conroy said her close relationship with God also got her through the trying time.
‘You’d think I’d be sad about the whole thing, but only good has come from it,? she said. ‘I go to a Bible Study group…and with my friends at Carpenter…the outpouring was amazing. They’ve been praying for me.?
Conroy said she was ‘shocked? when she found out she had finished first in the race for the survivors.
‘I ran with a friend from church because Jean (Crissman) had a baby,? she said. ‘I left him in the dust.?
Conroy explained that cancer survivors are identified at the race by their bright pink t-shirts, and are treated ‘like royalty.?
‘They treat you like gold,? she said. ‘Like heroes. I didn’t know I was doing so well because there were so many people in front of me…When I found out I was the first survivor, I was laughing and crying.?
Conroy was presented with the Alexa Kraft Award for taking first place among the survivors. Alexa Kraft was a 39-year-old woman who died from breast cancer a few years ago.
‘Her two daughters presented it to me,? she said.
Conroy, who is from the Walled Lake area originally, has been teaching at Carpenter for nine years and praises the staff there for getting her through a tough time in her life.
‘I’m 35, for someone my age to get breast cancer is pretty rare,? she said. ‘Rose (Edwards, Carpenter principal) announced it at a staff meeting…It’s been incredible.?
Conroy plans to continue running, and is currently training at the Great Lakes Athletic Club in Orion Township.
‘I’m working on a stricter training plan,? she said. ‘I want to run again next year, and I want to place in the top 10 for the women. I have to shave five minutes off my time to do it.?
Conroy’s time from Race for the Cure, a 3.2 mile race, was 25:24.
‘It’s hard work,? she said of running. ‘It’s 10 percent physical and 90 percent mental.?
For now, Conroy is focusing on her fundraising goal for July 9.
‘People can donate any amount, it can be $5,? she said.
Checks should be made payable to Race for the Cure, and should be sent to Janice Conroy at 1365 Walter S. Hall, Lake Orion, MI, 48362.
More information about Race for the Cure is available at the website, www.karmanos.org/raceforthecuredetroit/, or call 1-800-KARMANOS.