Cancer has not touched the life of Melissa Morrow and her family directly, but it has touched the life of her friend Caroline Phelps – not once, but twice – and that’s something that Melissa stands to do something about. During Phelps’ first occurrence of breast cancer, Morrow organized a bowl-a-thon to help her and stood by her friend during the difficult period of treatment. The two friends joked about making it to the “finish line,” when they and their friends would go on a beach trip to celebrate.
Friends in high school, the two lost touch, until one day Morrow, who works at Buffaloe Lanes in Raleigh, was surprised to find out that her friend Shane had gone on a blind date with Phelps. Eventually, Shane and Phelps married and Morrow and Phelps rekindled their friendship. Prior to the bowl-a-thon for Phelps, Morrow hosted a bowl-a-thon for N.C. State’s bowling team. She would later use that experience to create the bowl-a-thon for Phelps and form the team Caroline’s Corner.
“Caroline was so strong throughout the whole thing,” says Morrow. “She was so strong and positive she was often asked to give pep talks to other patients struggling with the effects of treatment.”
When it appeared that Phelps would beat breast cancer, the two began planning their trip and, fittingly, participation in a local road race to celebrate Phelps’ victory over the disease. They chose 1in9’s Pink Shamrock 5k on Sept. 29 in Raleigh. 1in9 is a local breast cancer foundation that seeks to ease some of the emotional, physical, and financial burdens that come along with the diagnosis of breast cancer. Help from 1in9 often includes financial assistance to defray the cost of treatments, prescriptions, and medical supplies, as well as assistance with out-of-town lodging, transportation to and from appointments, meals, and many other types of help. The Pink Shamrock 5k is one way the organization raises money to help.
The race takes place in the historic Glenwood South and Cameron Park areas of Raleigh and is proudly hosted by The Hibernian Restaurant and Pub. Its scenic USATF-certified route features the attractive Cameron Park neighborhood. The afternoon race, which starts at 4, will be followed by a street party with music, food, and beverages. Registration includes post-race food provided by Hibernian as well as a beer, for those over 21. There will also be a presentation to the winner of this year’s Hibernian Cup. Teams compete for the Cup by registering participants and raising funds for 1in9.
Unfortunately, before their trip or their race, Phelps was diagnosed with a recurrence of the disease.
“We were going to give ourselves a new name, but when the cancer came back, we decided to keep our team name, Caroline’s Corner, since we’ll be right there in her corner, fighting for her like we did the first time. We’ve got a new fight and now we’ve got a new finish line,” says Morrow.
