After Devasting Loss of Mother to Lung Cancer, Local Family Honors her Memory in Positive Way

Michelle Alvis lost her beloved mother Marion MacGaffey to lung cancer over two years ago, but Alvis and her family are now able to truly honor her memory. She is passionate about supporting life-saving lung cancer research and will walk for the first time with her family in the American Lung Association’s LUNG FORCE Walk, presented by Northwestern Medicine, at Cantigny Park in Wheaton, IL on October 17.

“I am looking forward to coming together as a family and doing something positive to honor our mom as ‘Team Marion’ in a positive way,” Alvis said. “This event will be an opportunity to get out of our sadness over our devastating loss and meet other families who have experienced the same effects of having a loved one suffer from this horrible disease of lung cancer.”

Marion was first diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer in 2016. It was discovered unexpectedly. After her diagnosis, Marion bravely battled cancer while she underwent invasive surgery in addition to rounds of radiation and chemotherapy.

“I saw my beautiful mother spend the last three years of her life on this earth trying to fight for more time with all of us. I saw the treatment take away not only her physical body, but also her mental health and her spirit in the process. My hope is for no other family to have a loved one go through what my mother and our family had to go through with lung cancer,” said Alvis.

Registration is open for the event, which invites individuals, families, groups of friends, and corporate teams to stroll, saunter, or power-walk through beautiful Cantigny Park for three miles.

“As ‘Team Marion,’ we are hoping to raise $2,500 total,” said Alvis. “Myself as an individual, I am hoping to raise $1,000.”

The safety of participants, staff and volunteers is always our number one priority, so we are continually monitoring local conditions that might affect the event. Everyone is encouraged to check our Walk website for the most up-to-date information leading up to the event.

Registration for the LUNG FORCE Walk is free and participants are encouraged to fundraise a minimum of $100 to earn an event t-shirt. For more information, and to register, visit LUNGFORCEWalk.org/Chicagoland.