Timing is everything in life.
When my good friend, Todd Krim, asked me to host the second annual Run For Her event in New York, I didn't think twice about saying yes. Run for Her is an organization that supports ovarian cancer research and awareness. I felt it was my duty to get involved considering my best friend, Diem Brown, battled and beat this disease twice.
When I initially agreed to lend my support, I just knew Diem would be right there with me, running in the 5K. This is a woman who lives for Barry's Bootcamp and staying in excellent shape.
Diem did make it to Run for Her, just not how we first pictured it. Instead of bouncing around with her boundless energy, ready to run, my Diem arrived in a wheelchair with her walker laid over her legs.
Diem is once again fighting for her life. Just a few weeks ago, we found out her ovarian cancer was back for the third time and had spread to her colon in two places and to her stomach lining. Diem is only 32 yet just had to undergo a hysterectomy. She faces more surgeries and chemotherapy.
I cried when Diem arrived. Despite seeing how much weight she's lost, or the fact that this evil cancer has now taken her ability to walk, Diem has the strength—spiritual, mental and physical—unlike anyone I've ever known.
The tears I shed were happy tears. You see, this was the first time Diem was well enough to leave her house. She got there through pure grit and determination.
"Going to Run for Her was a complete high, not only for being my first outing since my surgery, but it was also so unbelievably heart-warming to see how many people came out to support ovarian cancer research," Diem told me.
The happy tears flowed even more when Diem was able to stand in her walker for a few minutes.
There were a ton of teams, all with different names, walking in honor of, or in memory of, loved ones.
Naturally, our team was called "Dance for Diem." If you've followed her journey throughout these battles, either on MTV or via her blog, then you know Diem LOVES to dance. She's now in a wheelchair but nothing has changed. D had a portable radio and played songs by everyone from Whitney Houston to Beyoncé as we danced our way through the 5K.
Check out the video below. Our friend Carrie got all of Diem's friends together to create this dance mashup which captures the essence of who she really is.
Grammy-nominated producer and former American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi is an ambassador for Run for Her and spoke with Diem at length. Kara lost her mother to the disease in 1997 and had a hysterectomy after she learned she carries the BRCA2 gene mutation.
As I went on stage, Diem was right by my side to get the run started and say a few words about this amazing organization. I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed and overjoyed by all of the love and selflessness around us. A huge group of our friends, and even Diem's father, surprised us by making it (he lives out of town). Our team was ready to run, walk and of course dance to support our girl.
I was passed the horn to officially start the race. I gave it to Diem who rang it loudly with a huge smile on her face.
It's beautiful souls like Diem who make this world a better place. September is ovarian cancer awareness month. Wear teal to support and visit the donation page we set up for Diem, on her charity website MedGift.com to learn more about what you can do to help.
"I cannot express my gratitude and how much my friends mean to me they have been my rock when everything else has been so uncertain," Diem told me after we completed Run for Her.
Diem, it is us who will never be able to express what an inspiration you are. We should all be so lucky to have a loyal friend who is strong, funny, happy and who keeps us dancing through life's biggest challenges.