Each year, teams participate in honor of a loved one who has fought or who is fighting a brain tumor at the Head for the Cure Brain Cancer Awareness 5K. Team DAC started as a tribute to the late David Alan Charnock (DAC) who passed away in October 2012 at the age of 62 after a courageous two-year battle with brain cancer. By participating in this event, you are helping to support brain tumor research and programs at the Brain Cancer Awareness 5K and Hillman Cancer Center. Learn more about Team DAC.
To say that Dave was an amazing person is an understatement. He was a talented, smart, caring, loving, organized, helpful, husband, father, PapPap, friend, brother, co-worker, brother-in-law, uncle, and more. Throughout his life he impacted so many people in a positive way and encouraged them to be their best.
Dave was a loving husband to his wife Cathy for 41 years. The twinkle in his eye when he would look at her and smile summed up their loving and happy marriage. Together they had five children. Dave was a dedicated and inspiring father to his children. He encouraged them all to follow their dreams and was right there for advice and to cheer them on. Dave was also a very proud PapPap to his grandchildren. When he passed away he had 5 grandgirls that he enjoyed spending time with. He now has 7 grandchildren to watch over from heaven. In addition to being a family man, Dave was very active in the community and held various prestigious positions in the many organizations that he volunteered for.
Dave was first diagnosed with brain cancer in October of 2010. He went through several surgeries, chemo sessions, and drug trials. During the two year time frame that he was sick, he never gave up hope. He was always looking for the next thing that would be the solution and knew that someday there would be a cure for brain cancer. Dave also met many wonderful people that were on the same cancer journey and wanted to help them. He started a St. Peregrine prayer group (St. Peregrine is the patron saint of persons suffering from cancer) within his church. The prayer group continues to grow today and has helped with prayers for hundreds of people.
2019 will be the fourth year that Team DAC has participated in a race in Dave’s memory. Each year we are able to raise more and more money to help find a cure for brain cancer. While we continue to miss Dave every day, we know that he is there with us in spirit encouraging us each step of the way. We are looking forward to participating in the Head for the Cure race in Pittsburgh this year on August 17th. Cancer can’t finish this race!