For Emily O'Connor, Connor's Run is more than an event.

"It's a place where I feel seen," she says.

Diagnosed with brain cancer when she was just two years old, Emily spent much of her early childhood in hospitals rather than classrooms.

"My sisters would go off to school, and I was often in hospital," she recalls.

What followed was years of treatment, including chemotherapy and radiation, and long-term impacts on her hearing and vision. But while the physical challenges were significant, Emily says the hardest part was often the loneliness.

"It was feeling different from everyone else."

That experience is one of the reasons she feels so connected to the Connor's Run community today.

Emily first connected with Liz Dawes and the Robert Connor Dawes Foundation eight years ago. Through Connor's Run and other Foundation events, she found something she hadn't always experienced elsewhere: a community of people who understood.

"At Connor's Run, I feel comfortable. It's a safe space."

Over the years, Emily has built meaningful friendships and connections through the Foundation, finding comfort in being surrounded by people with shared experiences.

Today, she is passionate about helping ensure other young people affected by brain cancer feel supported, informed and less alone.

She believes education is key, both for children facing a diagnosis and for the wider community.

"I'd love to see more focus on what happens after treatment," Emily says. "How to live a great life after cancer."

Her own life is a testament to that possibility.

Growing up on a farm in New Zealand, Emily developed a lifelong love of animals, horses and the outdoors. Today, she works in retail, has a keen interest in fashion and dreams of exploring a career in recycled fashion.

Most importantly, she wants to use her experience to help others.

"I want to help make a difference for other young people facing cancer."

For Emily, sharing her story is about helping others feel understood and less alone.

"I don't want to be defined by cancer," she says. "But I do want to use my experience to help others."

Every year, Connor's Run brings together thousands of people united by a shared goal: to support young people and families facing brain cancer and help fund vital research.

For Emily, it's also something else.

"It's a place where I belong."

Join Emily and thousands of others at Connor's Run this September and help make a difference for children and families affected by brain cancer.