Brain cancer is...

...welcoming new friends.

Team D, please welcome new friends, Frank and LuAnn Ransley. We met through a mutual Wisconsin acquaintance. Frank and LuAnn, Welcome to Team D, with expanded membership to newly minted Team F!

Frank was diagnosed with GBM recently. He has had his surgery and radiation, and he's in the midst of chemotherapy. If things go according to plan, he'll be sporting the Optune look come Labor Day.

The above picture shows Frank and LuAnn on a pre-Covid vacation to Florida...the very state of our cancelled trip. We aren't sure whether we'd like to meet the Ransleys in person for the first time in Florida, or whether we'll hang out on their dock in Wisconsin:

At least we have some time to decide. Ha ha.

Frank and LuAnn, when Darrell was diagnosed, his physician, Dr. Park, said something very helpful. He said, "If you were a bettor, you wouldn't put money on those in the GBM game. But if you're in this game, you play to win."

We are honored to know you and to introduce you to the people who have been cheering Darrell on from those first hours in the emergency room. We're sorry you're in this game, but we want you to know that the people who are reading along with you today are people who will be there with you as you play to win.

Which people? Well, here's a sample from today (which is the day before the semester, a semester for which I am not ready, but--hey--semesters come and semesters go!):

Andi and team member Denise did a quick, sweaty six miles at Peters Canyon this morning, before the real heat kicked it. (Side note: Denise is a BOSS to hike in her mask. Her tip for us glasses wearers: Put the glasses over the mask to stop that incessant fogging!)

This is the Guillaume family, spread from California, to Washington DC, to Germany. We were celebrating summer birthdays. Great party, hosts Charlene and Ryan, and thanks for the pic.

What? Who's the infant in my arms, above? Miss Nova B! She spent the afternoon with us, joined by her people.