My Fundraising Page

My reasons to run...

Nearly five years ago my family got a life changing shock. We learned that my father has cancer. He wasn't told he has just any old cancer (is there even such a thing?), he has Mantle Cell Lymphoma, a highly aggressive, very hard to treat, terminal form of blood cancer. He was told he probably only had about 3 years to live, but he decided from day one that he was going to fight. As a "Daddy's Girl" it has been particularly hard on me to see my rock have to fight for his very life.

Then, not long after that, in November of 2004, I had yet another blow. I received a phone call right before I had to go to work. My step brother, Carl, was in the hospital fighting for his life. A tumor no one knew he had suddenly crushed his windpipe and made it impossible for him to breath on his own. He was soon also diagnosed with Lymphoma. Seeing him lying in a hospital bed i an induced coma with breathing tubes was a hard pill to swallow. Here was the boy who only a few years before had looked up at me with innocent eyes and asked me "Can I call you my big sister too?"

Both my dad and Carl are doing great. Daddy, beating the odds, is still terminal yet years after the doctors said he should have died, he is still fighting and refusing to give up. He's gone through chemo, radiation, experimental drugs, a stem cell transplant, and in January was lucky enough to receive a bone marrow transplant thanks to an anonymous donor. Carl is in remission and is living life as a normal seventeen year old boy, complete with driver's license and girlfriend!

However, every day someone else receives the terrifying news that they or a loved one has been diagnosed with a blood cancer such as leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma. Only a short while ago, a dear friend of mine e-mailed with the news that her fiance, Dominic, had been diagnosed with Lymphoma and was to begin treatments the following day.

It is for this reason that I am continuing my personal battle against these diseases by continuing to be a part of Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training. Team in Training fund raises for LLS while training to complete endurance events such as marathons, triathlons, and century bike rides. The money raised by Team in Training athletes goes towards funding the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's mission: to find a cure for blood cancers and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. This season will be my fourth season with this amazing group and I will be training to complete the Disney Marathon in January 2009. More than 823,000 Americans are battling blood cancers. I am hoping that my participation in Team In Training will help bring them hope and support.

Alex, a teenager in Titusville who is in remission from Leukemia, has worked with Team in Training for many years and is a great inspiration to all of us as we train and run our events. Gracie, a 3 year old girl from Brevard County is going to be our Honored Hero. Gracie has been diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia but with her family is fighting hard against her disease.

My goal is to raise $3,000 or more for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society by this Christmas. While I plan to have many fundraising events such as garage sales and bucket drops, as well as my fundraising shop located at www.cafepress.com/trisomethingnew, I am also asking for the help of my family and friends. If it is within your means and in your hearts to do so, please make a tax deductible donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma society in support of my efforts by donating here. Every penny helps and there is no gift that is too small.

If you would like to see your company's logo or a personal message on the back of the jerseys of ALL the Central Florida Team in Training athletes by becoming a corporate sponsor, please let me know!

Please feel free to pass along this website to anyone you feel might be interested in helping me out!

LLS FACTS:

• Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Myeloma are cancers of the bone marrow and blood.
• The Leukemia and Lympphoma Society is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services.
• Leukemia is the leading cause of children under the age of 20.
• More than 785,000 Americans have leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma.
• Every 5 minutes someone new is diagnosed with blood cancer. Every 10 minutes, someone dies.
• Ten times as many adults as children are stricken with leukemia.
• The 5 year survival rate for non-Hodgkins lymphoma rose from 47% in 1974 to 60% in 2001.
• Every 2 1/2 weeks we lose the number of people lost in the WTC on September 11 to a blood cancer. That means we experiance the equivalent of 21 WTC disasters each year.
• Team in Training is the worlds largest endurance training program.
• Since Team in Training's inception, members have raised over $751 million.

9/22/08 Despite a few setbacks (codeword for "I got sick"), training is going well! I'm getting in some good crosstraining and feel really good about this! I mailed off a few checks today so they should show up on here soon. Thank you to all of you who are supporting me in one way or the other! - Nicole

1/2/09 One week to go and I'm READY! I've surpassed my fundraising goal (THANK YOU) and I feel up to the challenge of 26.2 miles through the Disney Theme Parks! Micky...Here I come!!