Shannon Runs Again!

There’s no one like Shannon. She reminds me of the Tasmanian Devil—a fast-talking whirlwind that rips in and out of your life, dragging you along until you’ve signed up for something you didn’t expect. She brings this energy not only to our office here at A.B.E. Doors and Windows, but everything she touches. Shannon’s Girl Scout Troop sells more cookies than I can fathom, goes on trips to New York City and beyond, and accomplishes more in one weekly meeting than I can in a month. If you look up adventurous in the dictionary, you’ll see Shannon’s smiling face. Nothing can stop her.

Not even cancer.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Unfortunately, last year, Shannon got that phone call—‘You have cancer.’ For some people, this would be the moment life absolutely stops in its tracks. For Shannon, it was her moment to rise above, proceed, and ultimately overcome.

There are a thousand things that Shannon does for enjoyment: crochet, read, hike, bike, travel, adventure. (Trust me, there’s not an empty day on her calendar, I’ve seen it.) However, there is one thing that Shannon enjoys weekly: running. Whether it’s with her Making Strides group or her Super Sloths, Shannon goes out to run every Tuesday and Saturday. Rain or shine, sleet or snow, she goes and she runs. In October 2023, Shannon ran a 10K and finished in under an hour. This year, same month, same race, post-double mastectomy, she finished in one hour and thirteen minutes. Nothing can stop Shannon’s enthusiasm for putting one sneaker in front of the other.

After everything she’s conquered this year, Shannon was nominated to be the keynote speaker at the 32^nd Annual Women’s 5K Classic, with special focus on promoting fitness, cancer awareness, prevention, and treatment for women. While there were plenty of stand out moments in her speech, I’ll just highlight my personal favorite. Shannon says, “Hiking and running are much like life: the journey demands that you put one foot in front of the other, time and time again. If you stay present during the trek, you’ll find beauty in every step, not just at the summit.”

Nothing can hold Shannon back, especially not cancer.

We are honored to have her in our lives!