RICHMOND, Va. β Eleven years after 16-year-old Cameron Gallagher died from an undiagnosed heart condition after running a half-marathon in Virginia Beach, her mother continues to honor her daughter's dream.
That teenage dream was to create a neighborhood event promoting teen mental health.
Cameron had battled anxiety and depression herself and envisioned helping other young people cope with similar struggles. That vision has now become the CKG Foundation's annual SpeakUp 5K, which this year is Sept. 6 at Byrd Park starting at 9 a.m.
"I love seeing people slowly come here to the park. You know, the sun's rising, and people are parking, and then it gets busy. And lots of people are coming. People just starting to talk to each other, they're tired, moving slowly," Grace Gallagher said about the morning of the SpeakUp 5K.
"I show up that morning and there's pain, there's pain in my heart, there's darkness, because I want her to see what she's done. I want her to experience that pride of doing something like this, and then I miss her all over again, like I do every day. But then in my pain, I look around and there are stories all around here. I'm not alone."
Gallagher believes young people crave the ability, words, knowledge, freedom and permission to speak up about whatever their story might be. The CKG Foundation helps them get those things and know where to find solace for their anxiety.
"They want to know [their struggle] matters," Gallagher said. "I'm proud of [Cameron] and it is a huge feeling. I believe that I'm doing what any parent would do: you want to keep your child alive."
She described the work as challenging but necessary.
"It's not easy, and everyone has darkness. I mean, however many years it's been, I don't even count the years, because I know that every day I have to live without her, and every day I'll live for her," she said.
"I know even in my own sadness, it's very easy to go down to a very lonely, isolated place, and you don't want to burden other people, or you don't think other people are going to understand. And it's a gift to be able to walk along somebody that's struggling or in pain, like we're walking today, right? It's a gift... I promise you there is light. You can get to the other side, this is just a moment in time. It does not define you."
Registration for the SpeakUp 5K is available at ckgfoundation.org.
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