Peggy’s Story

Memorial Day 2002. It started out as a sunny day in
Cleveland, Ohio. Peggy had a busy day ahead with her 4
boys, ages 6,8,10, and 12, it was a day filled with soccer
games and picnics. She ran out of the house that morning
only on a cup of coffee. Then it started. It started slowly,
somewhere between cheering for the boys and enjoying the
festivities of the day a pain in her stomach became more
and more bothersome. Just a lack of breakfast and all the
yelling at the soccer games thought Peggy. However by the
end of the evening the pain was so intense that her husband
took her to the hospital. The clouds started moving in on her
life. Two days and many tests later Peggy was diagnosed
with fourth stage colon cancer. The sunny day was gone.
How could this happen to a 42 year old, energetic mother of
four? She had no symptoms prior to that afternoon. No
warning that the storm was coming. No time to take cover
from the devastating news that she only had 6 months to live.

Peggy and I were Alpha Gamma Delta sorority sisters at The
Ohio State University. My name is Carleen Taylor and I  tried
to move some of the storm clouds away.  I live with my 4
boys and my husband. My heart and prayers were with her
every day. As I look at my 4 boys my heart aches knowing  
her boys will be growing up without her. The 5 year survival
rate for people with stage 4 colon cancer is just 5%. She was
an inspiration to many in her strength to live life. When she
was diagnosed June 2002 the doctors told her to go home
and spend the next few months with her family because she
would not live to see Christmas. But Peggy went out and
found a doctor who would treat her.  She was doing the best
she could to live life and build memories with her family and
friends.
Peggy fought hard but the cancer was too aggressive and
she died March 31, 2004. At the visitation her nine year old
son asked me if his mom’s name was going to be on the
race t-shirts. I told him that I had already sent everything to
the printers and it was too late but I would make sure that I
got her name put on something. The next day was the
funeral, after I watched Peggy’s four suit clad little boys
follow her casket down the aisle I knew I had to do something
to bring whatever bit of happiness into their days that I
could. So I contacted the printers to see if there was any way
we could change the design so we could include her name.
Thankfully after hearing the story they were able to help us.
So the name of the race is now The Peggy Bock Memorial
Race For Hope.
There are many people who find out everyday that they or a
loved one have been diagnosed with cancer.
Race for hope is here to bring happiness and sunny days
back in their lives.