Tanya Lowe, my family and I have joined Team Monica in the SCOPE 5K - Sprint for Colorectal Oncology Prevention and Education.  We are walking in memory of our beautiful friend, Monica Cooksey.  Monica began her battle with colon cancer sometime in 1997.  She once told me that the doctor who first diagnosed her (not associated with MDA) gave her 6 months to live.  She didn't agree.  She then referred herself to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center for a second opinion and never left.  M.D. Anderson helped her live beyond an additional decade! Monica frequently told me how much she loved her MDA doctors, explaining that they treated her to LIVE.  During Monica's last year, I was able to experience myself the awesome standard of care at M.D. Anderson [for a different type of cancer].   Monica was and always will be an inspiration to me, not just for the way she kicked colon cancer to the curb, but the way she lived and loved.  She truly loved all of her family, and she has lots of family!  During those "extra" years she was able to enjoy four grandchildren.  What a blessing to all of them! This is the warrior I will be representing on March 23.  On a side note, my maternal grandfather was treated for colon cancer at M.D. Anderson in 1953.  After treatment, he lived to be almost 100 years old!