Meeting RJ

As mentioned I'm participating in the Patient Partner Program with DFMC and this weekend was able to meet my partner, RJ.  For someone that was dealt a difficult situation when he was only a kid, he's a tremendous inspiration for us all.  Not knowing what to expect, I arrived at the match party hoping to leave RJ with a good impression of me.  I should step back and say that while I'm new to DFMC and the program, RJ has participated for several years though his past runner recently had surgery and thus is not running Boston this year. He's clearly the expert here! Given their history, I was a little uncertain what to expect being the "newbie" but hoped that I could represent RJ well in the marathon.  What I was not expecting was someone that has had such a strong influence on others that he had been asked to give the "keynote" speech for the day on "What the PPP meant to him."  I literally started the party sitting next to a VIP, for many reasons.  Over the course of 2+ hours, I got to know RJ and his family, watched him give a very inspiring speech about the importance of the PPP and be approached by runners and staff who remembered his positive attitude, appreciation of life and his ability to loudly cheer for every DFMC runner on marathon Monday!  In talking with RJ and his family, it was clear that this was a perfect reminder of why we're running and raising funds for DFMC.  It was also a great reminder that in life, we may be dealt difficult hands at times, but how we respond is up to us; even in difficult situations, we can inspire others for many years to come!  Thanks to RJ and his family for a great "match party" and being an inspiration to us all!