AUGUSTA (NEWS CENTER Maine)-- “It has been a long road. I would much rather be in my bed sleeping right now, but my husband and my kids got me up and got me going so I owe a lot of this to them,” said Jessica Heath, as she made her way over to the starting line for family photos.
Heath is taking part in the 5th Annual Bob Burns Memorial 5K. The walk and run stretches just over 3 miles from the YMCA Rail Trail in Augusta, then to Hallowell and back.
The 34-year-old mother of two is walking alongside her children, her husband and her mother, Julie Brown. “My mom is wonderful. She shaved her head to match me and she’s just always there by my side.”
For Brown, it has been a difficult struggle. She has never left her daughter’s side, even through her daughter’s two bouts with brain cancer. “She was first diagnosed in 2012 with a brain tumor and had surgery and a year of chemotherapy, and then last November, after five years with clean MRIs, she was re-diagnosed with a brain tumor again and had surgery in February. She had just finished six weeks of radiation and is has four weeks off before she begins another round,” said Brown.
Kelly’s Cause for Brain Tumors founder Kelly Theberge emceed the event and was delighted to see the mother and daughter duo fighting for a cure and walking together. “Having the support that I see Julie giving Jess is wonderful. I am so glad that she was able to make it today she looks wonderful. She’s a great person she’s a strong person and I’m so glad she could be with us today.”