Run for the Cure to Support My Friend and Her Incredible Students at Radnor High School

This Sunday morning, on October 17, a group of local runners and community members will congregate in the parking lot of Radnor Elementary School before 8:30 a.m. to take place in the 2nd Annual Run for the Cure. Run for the Cure is a high school student run 5K that raises money for breastcancer.org. And like most fundraising events for breast cancer that take place this month, this 5K comes with a story. A story that is close to the Radnor High School community.

In 2018, Dr. Swinehart’s 10th grade English class at Radnor High School embarked on a new kind of project. The class would spend one class a week, 20 times a year, working on a research project. Not reading. Not Writing. Learning in a different way. Learning about life. Learning about the impact one can make. Learning how to help others in the community with their work. There would be no limitations on the newly created “20Time Project” except that the research must involve a way for the students to give back. In that English class, three Radnor High sophomore students decided to research breast cancer for their 20Time Project. And what began as a research project developed into a mentorship with another teacher in their school who was just a few months out of her own battle with breast cancer. And what grew out of their research project was a 5K that started small with 29 runners during its first year in 2019 and that is returning this weekend for the first time in person since Covid.

Fran’s story

Fran Misener is a Main Line resident. She is the Instructional Technology Coach at Radnor High School. She is a mom to two young girls. She is a former college athlete. And she is a breast cancer survivor.

Fran openly shares her story with me and anyone who asks her about it. Fran painstakingly recalls each day in 2017 and 2018 that impacted her life so greatly. She shared picture after picture with me— photographs that help paint the portrait of what life was like during her illness, while she was losing her hair, while her family celebrated milestones like birthdays and holidays and anniversaries. Fran so willingly opens up about breast cancer with the hope that her story is shared.

Fran with her two little girls in 2017.

For Fran, it all happened so fast. Dates that are forever etched into her brain, as she lays out her story to me. In April 2017, Fran felt a lump during her own self exam. This was only two months after she had been in her OB’s office and had a breast exam that revealed nothing. A few days after she discovered a lump, Fran had an ultrasound and a mammogram, which revealed concerning calcifications that needed to be biopsied. Three days later, Fran went in for her biopsy and the very next day she found out that she had breast cancer. Fran was 36 at the time. She had two young girls. She was healthy and active and the breast cancer diagnosis hit her like a ton of bricks. No one can be prepared for a cancer diagnosis. And no one can be prepared for what comes next.

From that point on, Fran and her husband moved fast. Fast to get a very valuable second opinion, which came from the doctors at Bryn Mawr. Fast to start her intense chemotherapy treatment at Bryn Mawr Hospital. Her grueling regimen of four drugs continued from May through September, with six rounds of chemotherapy every three weeks.

Fran with her mother and twin sister, Cat, who came to live with her when Fran was undergoing treatment.

Fran’s cancer diagnosis did not stop her from coaching her daughter’s basketball team that year.

Two weeks before Fran completed chemo, she appeared on the Today Show with a group of women who were all in the midst of their treatment but were sharing their experiences and telling the world how they live their lives with breast cancer. And yes, Fran called herself a “bad ass bitch” on the show!

Less than a month after she completed chemo, Fran received reconstruction surgery, choosing to remove all of her breast tissue.

Fran’s surgery day at Bryn Mawr Hospital.

Fran started radiation soon after her surgery. It was December of 2017. She recalls this as the darkest time because she did not want radiation. She was exhausted and just wanted to enjoy the holidays with her family. That month, Fran received radiation every single day for 25 days straight, with only Christmas and New Years off.

Fran with her husband and two girls on Thanksgiving before she started radiation.

After radiation, Fran continued her treatment plan with a Herceptin infusion, every three weeks through May.

Fran rang that bell on January 9, 2018 as she completed her treatment. Fran wrote on her Instagram page “Even though my radiation treatment was done 3 years ago, I am not finished with cancer. Every. Single. Day. I think about it. I can best compare it’s presence to the buzz of a neon light. Quiet, but everlasting. That time was dark but the future is bright. I am here.”

On the day that Fran received the news that her pathology showed no evidence of breast cancer, her doorbell rang. She opened her front door to find these pink pumpkins lining the walkway, made by her daughters’ school friends.

Fran’s prognosis is wonderful. She was diagnosed with Stage II Breast Cancer in 2017. Today, almost 5 years after her diagnosis, Fran is cancer free. She regularly meets with her doctors for routine follow ups and bloodwork. Fran is healthy. “The human body is amazing.” She is “back to herself AND MORE”, as she enthusiastically puts it. Today, Fran does because she CAN! And that is some powerful, chill-inducing stuff right there! And that’s how I met Fran- on the tennis court. She just picked up a tennis racquet this summer to learn a new sport (and she is pretty awesome already!). She joined my running club and kept showing up. She came to a cardio dance class I organized ready to learn to booty shake without a care in the world. She is basically down for anything that’s active and fun! Fran always shows up with a huge smile, ready to go! Her positive energy is captivating and contagious.

Fran and her twin sister pose with Macklemore. Macklemore’s song Glorious is Fran’s anthem. Her daughters wrote letters to him about their mother’s brave fight and how his song inspired her.

Fran and her husband celebrated their 10 year wedding anniversary a year late because on their actual ten year anniversary, she was preparing to start her first chemo treatment.

When talking to Fran about her experience, she continuously stressed how personal every one of her cancer decisions was: where to have her treatment performed; which doctors to use; the decision to remove all of her breast tissue; the decision to undergo radiation. This was her path. These were the decisions that Fran, her husband and her doctors made based on her cancer, her age, her life situation. Each cancer patient takes their own path. This is Fran’s story. Each story offers an experience to learn from. That is why Fran shares today. Fran found a lump only two months after having a doctor perform a breast exam. Fran emphasizes the importance of self exams and advocates for early diagnosis, which saved her life. And today, Fran focuses on life. Living her life to the absolute fullest… BECAUSE TODAY SHE FREAKING CAN!

This was the emotional day that Fran told her husband to just shave her head because she couldn’t stand to lose clumps of her hair in the shower anymore. The love and support of her family, and Fran’s positivity shines through in this picture.

Run For the Cure 5K

Sam Guillaume, Sophia Hoey and Madison Milhous, now former Radnor High School students, started their 20Time Project in 2018 with a focus on breast cancer research. Their research was centered around prevention and education for younger women. It was at that time that the girls met Fran. Their English teacher put them in touch with her, knowing that Fran had recently completed her breast cancer treatment and would be a good resource for the girls. Initially, Fran worked with the girls to provide mentorship and help guide them through their project with her own experience of care and treatment in this area.

The creators of the Run for the Cure 5K, Sam Guillaume, Sophia Hoey and Madison Milhous.

But as time went on, Fran and the girls began working together to plan a 5K to benefit breast cancer research and awareness. The 5K would be held at the high school and all proceeds earned from the race would go to breastcancer.org. The first 5K was held the following fall when Sam, Sophia and Madison were in 11th grade. When the runners actually ran in the race, the girls had already completed their 20Time Project and 10th grade English. And while that first year was small, they raised $1800!

Fran and her students speaking at the first 5K held in 2019.

Covid prevented the 5K from happening in 2020, but the three students, who were high school seniors in 2020, still raised money for the cause. When the girls graduated last May, they passed the 5K torch to a new group of Radnor High young ladies. Ava Liotta, Ella Hoey (Sophia’s little sister) and Ashley Granson took over the 5K and worked directly with Fran to plan Run for the Cure, which is returning this weekend. The 5K is not part of any school project for these girls now. They meet with Fran every week out of the kindness of their hearts and out of their own desires— the desire to raise money and raise awareness for the disease that is the most common type of cancer (according to The National Cancer Institute) and that is effecting more and more young women in our country than ever before.

Let me tell you a little about this year’s 5K. It will be held at Radnor Elementary School because the High School track and parking lot is under construction. Bryn Mawr Running Company will time the race. Registration is open now or can be done at the race, starting at 7:30 am. There will be prizes (a gift card for Bryn Mawr Running Company) for the top female and the top male finishers. And the girls added a new festive element to the race this year… costumes! There will be prizes for the best Halloween costumes.

A few other Radnor High School student organizations will be present and are helping to make this 5K possible. The Radnor High School Cheerleaders will be out along the course. The National Honor Society will be helping with registration, preparation and cleanup. A Second Set of Hands will have a table to share their extraordinary mission. This student organization consists of student volunteers who help cancer patients with tasks that they are not able to perform for themselves, like yard work, snow removal, etc. The Black Student Union will also be on site collecting donations for head wraps, scarves and wigs for breast cancer patients of color. I am completely blown away by all of these students that are working together to make a difference.

And Fran’s two daughters, along with my oldest daughter and her friend, will be selling beautiful pink bracelets for the runners to purchase with the proceeds from the sales going towards the 5K’s fundraising for breastcancer.org.

Sunday is going to be a meaningful and moving day, especially for Fran and her group of students who have poured themselves into this for the past several months. And it’s pretty serendipitous— this weekend marks the 4 year anniversary of the day that Fran received the news that there was no evidence of the disease in her body.

I invite you to come out on Sunday and show your support for my inspirational friend and her impressive students from Radnor High School! You can sign up for the race or just donate here.

Fran showed me this emoji from her sick years and this just exemplifies her positive attitude and sense of humor through it all. I just love it and had to include it in this article.