Loyalty, Friendship Fuel Race for Grace in Apple Valley

Grace Nelson led the life of a normal 14-year-old girl until one day she discovered a lump on the bottom of her foot. She immediately saw a doctor to find out what it was.

After having the lump biopsied, Nelson and her family learned in early 2009 that she had Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare type of cancer. Sarcomas develop from connective tissues in the body such as fat, muscle, membranes that line the joints and blood vessels.

After learning about her friend’s diagnosis, Aubree Tsurusaki—who has been Nelson’s best friend since elementary school—felt the need to do something about it. After talking with her mother, Karen Tsurusaki, they came up with the idea to do a fundraiser. 

“We wanted to do something that all the kids could get involved in,” Karen said. “And we got the idea to start a fun run.”

The third annual Race for Grace will take place Saturday at in Apple Valley. Check in for the event will start at 9 a.m. followed by the one-mile race starting at 10 a.m. The 5K race will be the final event of the morning, starting at 10:20 a.m.

All proceeds from the event will be going to the Karen Wyckoff Rein in Sarcoma Foundation. The foundation was created by Karen Wyckoff before her death in 2001 as a way to raise awareness for sarcoma cancers in the upper Midwest, to encourage sarcoma research, and to support other sarcoma patients and their loved ones.

This year, Race for Grace will feature three special honorees at the event. The honorees include a Natalie Wolf, 19, who underwent treatment for Ewing’s sarcoma, but recent scans have proven her cancer free.

Another honoree will be cancer survivor Julie Rose, 38, who was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma at the age of four and is now cancer free.

The final featured honoree is Anna Rogotzke, who was diagnosed with stage four Rhabdomyosarcoma at age 2, but she lost her fight with the disease in late 2010 on her fourth birthday.

Nelson, who is now 16, endured a year of chemotherapy and then another six weeks of radiation after hearing the diagnosis. In February 2010, she completed all of her treatments, and was declared cancer free.

“When I found out she was officially cancer free I was very relieved and happy that she would be able to get back to her 'normal' routine again,” Aubree said.

Garnering Support Year After Year

During the first two years, the event generated more than $57,000. The first year alone raised more than $33,000.

But the event hasn’t been easy to organize. After first thinking of the idea, Aubree soon realized that she was going to need some help. So she gathered a group of her closest friends to help in her cause.

Soon after the group’s conception, the teenagers started promoting the event in every corner of town, leaving information with area businesses, at the schools in the area and at coffee shops.

Compared with the highly productive first year of the race, the second year was somewhat disappointing, due mainly to last year’s cold and rainy weather.

The girls' hope this year is that the weather will be more comfortable, but the weather won’t stop the group from doing their best to help those with sarcoma.

"We are hoping for more runners this year," Karen said. "But as long as we are raising money that’s the main focus."

Visit the Race for Grace website for more information.