Running for Her: A Commitment to Breast Cancer Awareness and the 2026 Chicago Marathon
Running for Her: A Commitment to Breast Cancer Awareness and the 2026 Chicago Marathon
By Leo Bezanis – Partner, Beermann LLP
Every October, we recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month — a time to honor survivors, support those still fighting, and remember the loved ones we’ve lost.
For me, it’s also a time to reflect on my grandmother — Diana Bezanis, the true definition of a matriarch.
She was our hero — always there for us when we needed her, and even more when we thought we didn’t.
She led the Bezanis family with strength, faith, and love. After my grandfather suffered a stroke, she remained endlessly devoted to him while continuing to pour herself into everyone around her. She worked tirelessly, volunteered at his nursing home, and still never missed a single family event.
But her impact went far beyond our family. She was deeply involved in her community and her church, and she touched countless lives with her spitfire personality, her compassion, and her unwavering heart.
She also fought — and beat — breast cancer. Her resilience through that battle embodied everything she stood for: courage, faith, and selflessness. Her presence continues to guide us every single day.
That’s why I’ve committed to run the Chicago Marathon in October 2026 with the American Cancer Society, dedicating every mile to her memory — and to the families still fighting cancer today.
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Why I’m Running
My partnership with the American Cancer Society isn’t about a fundraising goal — it’s about making an impact.
Every effort helps support early detection programs, life-saving research, and family services that bring comfort and hope to people in their most challenging moments.
My grandmother taught me that endurance isn’t about speed — it’s about heart.
This run isn’t about crossing a finish line; it’s about carrying her story forward, step by step, for something greater than ourselves.
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Supporting Survivors and Spreading Awareness
Breast cancer affects one in eight women in the U.S. during their lifetime.
Because of growing awareness, early detection, and research breakthroughs, more people are surviving — and thriving — than ever before.
Through the American Cancer Society, every contribution helps fund:
Early screening and detection programs
Life-saving research initiatives
Patient care and family support resources
These programs ensure that no one faces cancer alone — and that every family has the chance to keep their loved ones’ legacies alive.
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How You Can Help
Between now and October 2026, I’ll be running and advocating in partnership with the American Cancer Society to advance the mission of ending cancer as we know it.
💗 Join me here: http://main.acsevents.org/goto/dianabezanis
Whether you donate, share this message, or encourage someone you love to schedule a screening — every action matters, and every mile tells a story.
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Final Thought
My grandmother showed me that courage doesn’t always roar — sometimes it’s quiet persistence, one step at a time.
Next October, every mile I run through Chicago will be for her — and for every survivor, fighter, and family who continues to inspire hope.
Clear answers. No noise. Just the law — made simple.
