The Eggstrong Foundation was created to honor the memory of Jeff Eggleston, who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 2008, and passed away on March 26, 2016 at the age of 42. Jeff embraced life to its fullest, both before and after his diagnosis. Jeff refused to let cancer slow him down- figuratively and literally. Just one year after being diagnosed and having a major surgery to remove a large tumor in his abdomen, Jeff ran the Flying Pig half marathon, besting his previous time.
While Jeff was battling cancer, he adopted a superhero motif which helped him express what he was going through in a very visible way. Many of his friends showed support by donning superhero clothes as well, but to all of Jeff’s family, friends and colleagues, he was in fact, our superhero. He showed all of us, in the face of challenge and adversity, how to be courageous, determined, and to live with purpose and meaning.
Before Jeff passed away, he wrote and shared his thoughts on life and about his journey. He left us with his personal motto, one that he lived by each day, and one that he challenged his friends and family to follow. Do Better. Be Better.
In short, this means living the best life that you can, and being the best version of yourself, just as he did. For Jeff this meant doing the things that he loved, for as long as he could. He ran half marathons, training with his brother and his friends, until he wasn’t physically able to. While Jeff enjoyed the race, more importantly, he cherished the time training and bonding over Saturday morning early runs and post run pancake breakfasts. When Jeff wasn’t able to continue running, he took up poker and looked forward to monthly card parties. He approached every aspect of his life with zest, light and humility. He gave 110% of himself to his friends, to his family, and to his job. Jeff was passionate about cancer research before it touched his own life. He dedicated himself enthusiastically to the Shemenski Foundation which raised thousands of dollars for the UC Brain Tumor Center. Nothing made him prouder than seeing the direct results of funds raised going to groundbreaking developments in treating and curing brain tumors.
We miss Jeff’s presence every day, but honor his legacy by following his advice. DO BETTER. BE BETTER. In this spirit, we continue the fight against cancer by supporting cancer research. We ask you to join us in this fight through your donation.
