I met Karen at a Taco Bell a few months ago. I had never heard of lymphedema and didn’t know Karen. But from the moment Karen came in the door, beaming from ear to ear, I knew I had to help her however I could.

The most obvious impact of lymphedema in Karen’s life is the swelling of her legs, which is compounded visually by many thick layers of compression garments which help control the swelling. But less obvious are the many hospital stays due to dangerous infections and blood clots.

I asked how long she’s been a teacher in Kankakee. Barely seconds after the words were out of my mouth, someone walked in with a child who recognized her, cried out her name, and ran over to give her a hug.

Then I found out she was going to run a 5K…

If you’d like to donate to Karen’s fundraiser to help restore her legs, click here.