PALM COAST, Fla. – At the entrance to the Angel Walk, Emily Orozco stopped before a photograph of her father and wept softly.
When she was undergoing treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma at 18, he was beside her at every appointment. Her biggest cheerleader, he helped carry her through cancer. In 2025, she lost him to the same disease.
At the Live Like Cameron Foundation’s eighth annual 5K, his photograph was a reminder of both his absence and the love that continues to sustain her.
“He was at each and every appointment, and he was my biggest warrior,” Orozco said. “Sadly, he passed away from liver cancer.”
Her family continues his tradition of supporting the foundation that helped them during her treatment.
“It’s very emotional because he continues to help me and others, even through death,” she said.
That connection between remembrance and hope ran throughout Sunday morning’s gathering. With the theme “Dreaming of a Cure,” participants had the option to wear pajamas, bringing a playful spirit to an event with a deeply personal purpose.
For some, the morning celebrated surviving cancer. For others, it offered a place to speak a loved one’s name, share their photograph and stand among people who understand.
For the Orozco family, it was both.
Emily’s mother, Margarita, recalled how much the foundation’s support meant during her daughter’s illness.
“Live Like Cameron helped us so much when Emily had Hodgkin’s lymphoma,” she said. “I don’t know how we would have done it without their support.”
Her husband never forgot that kindness.
“He always donated, he always gave things to Live Like Cameron,” she said.
Continuing that generosity keeps his commitment to children and families alive while helping others discover a resource the Orozcos know can make a difference.
“This is a resource that a lot of people, at the beginning, didn’t know about, but it’s so needed,” Margarita said.
The foundation’s host family, Melisa and Dan Fulling, received heartfelt recognition from emcee Judy Bucek, who thanked them for the care they pour into the organization and every family.
“A special thank you goes out to Melisa and Dan and their family for all the heart and soul that they put into Live Like Cameron,” Bucek said.
She described the morning as an opportunity to remember the angels, honor the warriors and celebrate the camaraderie connecting families, volunteers and supporters.
“We are all here for different reasons, with different stories, different experiences,” Bucek said. “Yet we are all here for that same reason, to support one another and to be part of something bigger than ourselves.”
That support took a quiet, solemn form as families were invited forward to honor loved ones whose lives had been lost to cancer. Families from Volusia County joined the remembrance, and the gathering paused for a moment of silence.
“These precious angels may not be with us any longer, but they will never, ever be forgotten,” Bucek said.
The ceremony also recognized the courage and perseverance of the foundation’s warriors. Called forward, they gathered with their families for photographs and encouragement.
Around the lake, participants were invited to read about the warriors’ dreams — reminders of the individual lives and hopes at the heart of the fundraiser.
“They each have their own story, their own journey, and their own hopes and dreams,” Bucek said.
Local businesses and community organizations helped make the event possible through sponsorships and donations. The Fun Coast Parrot Heads contributed more than $1,500 in new blankets and pajamas for the children, while volunteers worked at the event and behind the scenes.
Raffles and a best-dressed contest added to the morning’s festivities, with warriors helping select an adult and a child whose outfits stood out.
Through the celebration and the tears, Bucek offered a message that reached beyond the 5K.
“I hope that each one of you here today realizes that there is someone here for you,” she said. “Someone you may know or someone you may not know yet.”
For Emily, looking at her father’s photograph brought grief, but also gratitude. The man who stood beside her through chemotherapy remains part of her family’s reason for showing up, giving back and supporting other children facing cancer.
“I’m just very happy that he was in my life,” she said, “and that he continues to support others.”
