When Jen Singer was diagnosed with aggressive stage III B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2007, she wasn’t just concerned about dying. She was worried about how her diagnosis would affect her sons, then ages 8 and 10. How would she tell them she had cancer? How much should she tell them about her treatments? How would it affect their routines? Could she still help them with homework? Take them to swim practice while nauseous from chemo? How would she comfort them when she was terrified herself? What if they acted like nothing was wrong? What would she do if they asked if she might die when she didn’t know the answer herself? ​

The dozen people ringing the tables at the Harvest Moon Brewery & Cafe in New Brunswick, New Jersey, look and act more like a family than a track club. They dip their nachos into each other’s entrees, joke about hating their roommates—who are each other—and commiserate about the boring town in which most of them live. “No one’s getting into much trouble,” says Julie Culley, 30, who’s qualified in the 5000 meters for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials.

Fans in this sports-obsessed city were divided over the Eagles’ signing of Michael Vick, but they were united in at least one emotion: shock.

“The whole city was full of people running outside to communicate with other people,” said Tim Quigley, 26, who was at a bar in Philadelphia for a bachelor party when he heard the news via text message.

Since 2001, 97 of New Jersey’s Catholic schools have closed—282 since 1971, according to the National Catholic Educational Association. Total enrollment has dropped from 275,012 students in 609 Catholic
schools in 1971 to 106,797 in 327 schools today.

**Recognized in category of Magazine Reporting by New Jersey Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists