This year’s Resolution Run in Battle Ground will focus on a lot more than getting back on the exercise horse in 2019.
The run, which features a 5K, 10K and 1K cub run for children, will help provide funds to 37-year-old Camas resident Cindy Wood, who has previously participated in the race and even sung the national anthem before the race three times.
Wood has classic Hodgkin’s lymphoma refractory cancer, and race organizer Elba Benzler felt like the run was a good way to help fundraise for her.
“We can help a local person because it really touches home, and it’s nice that it’s going for this kind of a cause,” said Benzler.
The race begins at 10 a.m. Sunday, and day-of registration costs $52 for the 5K, $55 for the 10K and $20 for the cub race. It takes place at Maple Grove School, 601 B S.W. Eaton Blvd., Battle Ground, next to the Battle Ground Cinema.
Wood has participated in the Resolution Run the past three years, and said running is one of her three favorite things along with singing and home-school teaching. She home-schools her 6-year-old son, Desmond. She’s married to Daniel Wood, and they also have a 16-month-old, Joshua.
Wood credited the support of her family, friends and church (Laurelwood Baptist Church in Vancouver) for her ability to fight cancer. Having the run dedicated to her has been especially moving, she said.
“It’s overwhelmingly awesome. I’m very touched,” she said. “That’s been the theme of what my community has done for me. They’ve been so willing to help and supportive.”
Wood was diagnosed with cancer in March, and she said that “it’s like someone pushed you off a building and you’re just free-falling.” Wood has tallied her treatment adventures, and said she’s done 30 doctor’s appointments, five PET scans, three education classes, two surgeries, three biopsies, 11 miscellaneous things (X-rays, ultrasounds, etc.), and 20 doses of chemotherapy.
She’s now at Oregon Health & Science University recovering from a stem cell transfer. Wood said the hope is the operation will make it so cancer cells never return again.
Benzler has gotten to know Wood better through the running community, and he said that her national anthem renditions have been a highlight of the Resolution Run.
“She has this gorgeous voice. She can sing opera,” Benzler said. “She’s just this little thing — seeing this powerful voice out of this little lady, it’s neat.”
Benzler thinks the race can help provide more than $1,000 in funds for Wood, and mentioned that race participation is around 300 people.
“People care about this situation, want to come out and help make a difference in somebody’s life because it’s a pay-it-forward scenario,” Benzler said. “I might need some help one day. It’s nice knowing that the way the world works we’re always willing to pay it forward.”
