The original and largest mud run in the state of Delaware will take place Sunday, Sept. 22 at Frightland in Middletown, but to the Ferrara family, it will mean a lot more than running a race and getting dirty. Instead, it will be a sober reminder of the battle they waged against leukemia and a way for them to give hope to victims, families and doctors who face this disease.
Receiving the bad news
In 1998, Nick and Denni Ferrara were faced with the harsh reality that their 3 1/2-year-old daughter, Natalia, had been diagnosed with leukemia. All they could do was hope, pray and trust in the doctors to save her life and bring her back to health again. It would undoubtedly be a long and difficult journey, but they had no choice, so they dug in for the fight and put their trust in the man upstairs.
Road to recovery
During the next three years, doctors tried to cure Natalia using chemotherapy and radiation treatments which frequently made her sick, tired and unable to do the things girls her age could normally do. Natalia was in and out of the hospital and couldn’t go to school or play with friends because it was important not to expose her to germs while she was recovering. Only after about 2 1/2 years did she begin to feel better, and her life slowly returned to normal.
Turning tragedy into hope for others
After Natalia’s recovery, her mother Denni began volunteering with leukemia organizations to try and give back and help others facing the same hardships her family had lived through. In 2007, she branched out on her own and established the Leukemia Research Organization of Delaware. This small organization was founded with the idea that 100 percent of the proceeds of annual fundraisers would be used to fund blood cancer research. The first of these events were the Delaware Mud Run Junior and the original Delaware Mud Run.
The evolution of the original Delaware Mud Run
The run started out as a 5K, but when a friend suggested the unique idea of changing it to a mud run, the Delaware Mud Run was born. The mud run was purposely designed to be run in teams of four, and members must start and finish together, symbolizing the support and cooperation families facing the disease will need to make it through difficult times. In just a few years, the race has grown into a huge event, boasting 15,000 spectators and nearly 4,000 participants. It has also raised over $1 million to be used to fund leukemia research. This year’s race will include some different obstacles, a flyover, a costume contest, music by the Rockets and as always, a family friendly atmosphere.
Interested participants can go to www.DelawareMudRun.com and sign up now. The race is also looking for volunteers to help and spectators to cheer until every team crosses the finish line.
Author’s note
On a personal note, I have had the privilege of training four members of the Ferrara clan – Natalia, Denni, Nicholas Jr. and Cross. I have attended events hosted by them to raise money for leukemia research, and I have seen how the disease has affected them and brought them closer as a family. I also know how much hard work and dedication was put into this event and would urge anyone interested to attend and support this great cause. After all, the greatest way to kick mud in the eye of any terrible disease is to fight back through fitness.