Kyra Bishop is not your average 10 year old girl. Sure, Kyra likes to spend her time playing sports and hanging out with her brothers--but in her spare time she also likes to run 5Ks for a good cause. Earlier this month, she ran in memory of a loved one who lost their battle to colon cancer and raised over $4,800 for us here at the Colon Cancer Alliance. We asked her to share her incredible story in her own words.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am ten years old, almost eleven. I am in fifth grade. I enjoy playing sports, playing violin and playing ping pong with my twin brother Grant. I have three brothers and no sisters. People say I’m a tomboy, because all my friends are boys. I live in Los Angeles.
What made you want to get involved in the fight colon cancer?
I had a friend who died of colon cancer. A year and a half ago, I found out that one of my dad’s employees had cancer. His name was Dave Sullivan. I sent him a rainbow loom bracelet to help him recover faster. He sent me a thank you note back. After that, we exchanged lots of gifts and notes. I sent him him a bookmark that I made. He even sent me a giant bucket of candy for my birthday. He started recovering faster. I was so happy he was getting better. He died very unexpectedly. I was super sad. I was especially sad because I never got to meet him in person. My parents were trying to plan a time when we could meet each other. After getting myself together a little more, I decided to do something about colon cancer.
What made you want to support the Colon Cancer Alliance?
The Colon Cancer Alliance got good ratings on Charity Navigator, which made me feel like they would use my money in a good way.
What ways have you been fundraising?
To raise money, I did a lemonade stand with two of my brothers (Grant and Jared). We raised about $40 that way. I sent out an email to people I knew to support me running a 5K race, which took place on Easter Sunday. My dad and Dave Sullivan’s widow, Melissa, will be running it with me. I have exchanged emails with Melissa, but this will be my first chance to meet her in person. So I have raised $4,850.00. I keep all of the checks that people have mailed me in the empty bucket that used to hold the candy that Dave sent me. After I have collected all of the checks, I will be mailing them to the Colon Cancer Alliance in Dave’s name.
Why did you decide to run a 5K?
I decided to run a 5K because I have run that distance before. Also, anything longer would be too difficult, and shorter would not be challenging enough.
What do you hope people will learn from your story?
I hope people will learn that if you are small, you can still do a big thing.
Don’t forget, the Colon Cancer Alliance serves as a source of information about colon health. If you have additional questions about colon cancer screening or are in need of support, please contact our free Helpline at (877) 422-2030. We’re here to help.