Daphne LaRae Scruggs Fields lived an incredible, inspiring life, but at just 34 years of age, it was a life that was cut much too short by Triple Negative Breast Cancer. It was just two years earlier, in October of 2011, that she had first diagnosed with the highly aggressive form of cancer.
When someone hears those fateful words – “You have cancer” – it’s not just their life that is forever changed. As a wife, mother of two young sons (George and John Robert, a.k.a. Boo), a mother, daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin and friend to many, Daphne’s diagnosis changed the lives of so many around her.
“Daphne was a beautiful, kind and talented young mom of two little boys. She had a zest for life and a contagious smile,” said Melissa Mills, Daphne’s aunt who serves as president of Daphne’s Legacy, Inc. “Through her battle with Triple Negative Breast Cancer, she inspired us all with encouraging words and her will to live.”
After making the most of the time they had with her, Daphne’s family and friends created Daphne’s Legacy, Inc. after her passing to ensure her memory lives on in meaningful ways in an effort to raise money for Triple Negative Breast Cancer research and ultimately find a cure for the disease.
“Daphne’s Legacy lives by a quote that Daphne mentioned in her last CaringBridge page. ‘You can get busy living or you can get busy dying.’ This chick is getting busy LIVING. We thought, what better way to get busy living than by hosting a 5K Fun Run,” Mills continued. “Therefore, every April, around her birthday, we hold the Daphne’s Legacy 5K Fun Run/Walk in her memory and to honor and celebrate her life, as well as to raise good funds for Triple Negative Breast Cancer research. There’s usually a balloon release at the beginning of each race led by her sons – after all, this is a birthday celebration.”
This year’s Daphne’s Legacy 5K will be held in Frankfort, Kentucky the evening of Friday, April 12 at 6:30pm. To register for the run/walk, click here.