Racing to Save Lives

Welcome to my Team In Training home page.

As you all know by now, my husband Michael is a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma survivor and inspiration to many. In the fall of 2006 and winter and spring of 2007, I watched and prayed as Michael endured one of the most aggressive forms of chemotherapy to treat his lymphoma. He was in the hospital often and lost his hair, a lot of weight, and at times the strength to be the kind of husband, father and friend you all know him to be. Normal life for our family disappeared and lymphoma and chemotherapy became the center of our world. This was at the same time that we gave birth to our beautiful daughter Sophia in November 2006 and lost Michael's beloved father Allen in February 2007. It was the toughest year of our lives but even in Michael's lowest moments, he never lost his sense of humor or positive spriit. If you haven't already, you can read our story at www.baldmike.com.

What many of you may not know or realize is that lymphoma continues to be the center of our world in some ways. We still get nervous before appointments (even though Michael's oncologist assures us that he is doing great), Michael still goes in for infusions of a lymphoma drug designed to help keep him in remission, and most importantly, we have become very much a part of the Philadelphia lymphoma community by founding a local chapter of the Lymphoma Research Foundation and by getting involved in events with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It is one of the most satisfying, rewarding, and difficult decisions we've made to invite other lymphoma patients and caregivers to reach out to us for support and information.

I write to you today because I am training to participate in the Philadelphia Distance Run on September 21st as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training. All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop lymphoma, leukemia, and myeloma from taking more lives. I am completing this event in honor of Michael and all of the wonderful people battling lymphoma who have become our friends and allies over the last several years and in memory of those whose battles were lost. These people are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!

I am also participating in a walk on September 20th for the Lymphoma Research Foundation (that email to come soon)! Please make a donation to one of these events to support my participation and to help advance our common mission.

I hope you will visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress. Thanks for your support!