Racing to Save Lives...

raising money to find a cure!

I'm training to participate in the Walt Disney World Marathon on January 10, 2010, as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training. All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives.

Just a little background on what Leukemia, Lymphoma, & Myeloma are. Leukemia is a cancer that forms in the blood cells and causes anemia, eventually leading to the inability to fight off infections. Lymphoma is a group of cancers that form in the lymphatic system. It creates tumors and enlarges the lymph nodes, which can migrate to major organs. Myeloma is a cancer of white blood cells found in bone marrow. Over time it grows and destroys the bone tissue. And since it is interfering with the white blood cells (antibodies), you become more susceptible to infection and/or illness because your body cannot fight off the infection on its own. Today, more than 890,000 Americans have a form of a blood cancer. That number will increase dramatically everyday, as every 4 minutes someone is diagnosed. Every 10 minutes, once of those patients fighting will lose their battle with this deadly disease.

I am completing this event in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancers, but more importantly in memory of Joe Santoro. Joe was a firefighter in Harrisburg, PA and served on the Pennsylvania Urban Search and Rescue squad at the World Trade Center disaster zone in the days immediately following 9/11. He was the loving husband of a Middletown Area High School English teacher and helped with many high school events. On September 2, 2006, Joe Santoro lost his life to this sudden illness just over a year after being diagnosed with Leukemia. The Harrisburg Fire Department didn't just lose a friend, they lost a brother! A piece of the Middletown Area High School's sole is missing, a piece that can never be replaced.

To this day, the Middletown Area School District has not forgotten about their fallen hero and continues to fight for him. Every April since 2005, the Middletown Area High School P.R.I.D.E. program has held a "Run For Joe 5k" in Joe Santoro's name.

These people are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!

I am personally committed to raising $3,800 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through the generosity of my friends, family, and co-workers. I am asking you to join me and help find a cure for blood cancers. Please contribute as much or as little as you can. Please keep in mind that no matter how big or small the donation, it helps in the fight. And for those who are suffering or have battered this disease, they are very thankful for your help. Just remember, every little bit counts.

I hope you will visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress. Thanks for your support! Donations can be sent through my online fundraising listed below or by sending a check/money order made out to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to me personally. Which I will then send in to the Society.

http://pages.teamintraining.org/cpa/wdw10/tbrewbaker

Once again, thank you for your support and contributions as we try to find a cure and finally a way to wipe-out this disease completely.

Love,

Tracey

Training Update:

10/8/09 - as with all training programs, you have ups and downs. Right now I am in a valley nursing a sprained ankle I suffered on last Saturday's long run at the York Rails to Trails. It will be a few weeks before I'll be able to run at the level I was at prior to my injury, but I will be back better and stronger than ever. This little hill will not stop me running Disney. The people I am running for, have been able to overcome so much more. So this should be a walk in the park for me.