Fierce gratitude
If ever there was an individual who embodied gratitude—not some passive, going-through-the-motions gratitude, but active, joie de vivre, all caps GRATITUDE—it would be Kimberly S. Reed. Reed exudes a visceral, genuine, energetic vibe which may stem from her courageous victory over stage IV breast cancer. But it seems likely that she would share such spirited thankfulness even if she'd never had this insidious illness. Reed, who sits on Legacy of Hope’s Board of Directors, will be joining their sponsored athletes this Sunday, March 27th, for the 2022 Love Run. She makes sure to clarify "I’m walking, power walking, the 7.6 mile option, because I know my lane. But I’ll be cheering on my runners!"
Whether she walks or runs, and regardless of the distance, Reed is tireless in her efforts to help "survivors, thrivers, families and caregivers that are walking to and through this disease." The loss of her mother to leukemia, after a 45 day battle in the hospital was a catalyst in this regard. "My mother was not only an inspiration, but an example of resilience, unyielding faith, an example of an incredible woman and soul; if I was one-quarter of the woman she was I would be so extraordinary. God loved me enough to have this woman go through what I was about to go through. Almost ten years ago, I was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer after a PET scan showed that it had metastasized to my liver, shortly after I'd started chemotherapy.”
“For me the biggest challenge [of breast cancer] was being numb to everything I was going through because I was still healing from the loss of my mother. So I was really blessed, with God’s grace, because I was never sick; I was tired here and there from the chemo. But that’s it. I had three surgeries, a lumpectomy, and radiation. My oncologist recently said to me ‘Kim, you are probably at the lowest probability for recurrence, percentage wise. You did the work, Kim, continue to live life to the fullest.’ I thank God for that.”
Reed doesn’t mince words when it comes to advice for anyone who recently received a cancer diagnosis. “1) do not get on the internet! Let your guidance come from your doctor only. 2) Any toxic or negative people, or people who bring drama in your life…you have to wave goodbye to them. 3) You have to adopt a mindset of winning, or you won’t! But the biggest point in all this is believe in your faith, trust your faith.”
Gratitude is the rocket fuel to our resilience.
– Kimberly S. Reed
Reed connected with Legacy of Hope because, when, in her role as vice-chair of the leadership council at the American Cancer Society, they told her about what Mike Rowe was doing with Legacy of Hope. She signed up and started doing the grocery deliveries; "fell in love with the organization, and here I am on the Board of Directors working with all of you.” She is actively involved, doing the Love Run and back to back PHL24s—lo