He keeps running. He pushes through the rest of the race until he finally reaches the finish line. Wearing his “Team Mayfield” t-shirt, senior Austin Mayfield finished the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure April 28  in honor of his mother Montie.

“I was relieved,” said Mayfield, whose mother is one of the school’s attendance secretaries. “It was really cool that I did it for my family, and I know that she’ll cross the finish line too when she is done with chemotherapy.”

After a family dinner April 22, Montie Mayfield informed her family that she was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer that was found after a routine mammogram.

“My first reaction was fear and sadness,” said Mrs. Mayfield. “It’s the fear of the unknown and sadness for my family.”

“I was worried about her and trying to stay strong,” said Mayfield.

This isn’t the family’s first experience with cancer, which left them wondering why they had to go through this again.

“When I was young, my dad was treated for cancer for one year,” said Mayfield. “He has been cancer free for 12 years.”

The survival of her husband gives Mrs. Mayfield hope and allows for advice and words of encouragement from someone who has been there.

“I’m competitive, and if he did it, I will do it too,” she said.

The support for the Mayfields is not limited to family members. Friends have also been a big part of the coping process. Kari Riggins, a close friend of the family, created Team Mayfield shortly after Mrs. Mayfield received her diagnosis and put together a group of friends and family who participated in the Race for the Cure.

“The more that participate, the more funds that are raised,” said bookkeeper Cindy Fitzgerald, who was a member of Team Montie, “and the more funds that are raised, the quicker a cure is found. Otherwise, I pray daily, if not hourly for her.”

“I have a lot of close friends who are like sons to her and genuinely care,” said Mayfield. “We had 30 to 40 people on her team at the race.”

The recovery process began April 25 when Mrs. Mayfield had her first chemo session. She will have one chemo session every three weeks for 18 weeks (6 sessions).

“The doctors will wait to see how much the tumor shrank before they choose a surgery path,” said Mrs. Mayfield.

The fatigue from the chemotherapy has also caused a shift in the family’s home life.

“It has brought us closer as a family,” said Mayfield. “There are days that she’ll be sick, and we will pick up the slack.”

Support has been pouring in for Mrs. Mayfield. The formation of Team Mayfield and the running of the race by her son in her honor really hit home.

“It is so humbling to know I have support and love, and that’s what keeps me going,” said Mrs. Mayfield.

The diagnosis has changed the perspective of life for those it affects. The outlook changes from wants to needs and allows for appreciation of the little things.

“It has made me more grateful for my health and normalcy,” said Mrs. Mayfield.

Coping with the diagnosis of a loved one can be a hard process.

“I don’t know why, but God has a reason,” said Mayfield. “I’m persevering to get through it and giving him the glory.”