Lauryn, Matt and Luke

Matt's 15 years CANCER FREE and Luke and Lauryn finish treatment this summer, so ...

I'm "tri"ing something new to celebrate! I'll be training to participate in my first ever triathlon! This will be a .93 mile swim, a 28 mile bike and a 6.2 mile run in Elkhart Lake, WI on June 12, 2010 (just one day after Matt's 29th birthday!) This is my second Team In Training event for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). Because I continue to be inspired by those I work with every day, I'll once again be more than a staff member, I'll be a participant and will raise funds to support our mission of finding a cure for blood cancers and improving the lives of patients and their families.

My older brother, Matt, is a leukemia survivor (ALL) and in early December 2009, he celebrated being 15 years cancer free! But, his journey to that anniversary was long, and, as the years go by and I continue to work for LLS, I understand more and more what our family went through -- what Matt went through. From the diagnosis when he was 9 years old, to the chemotherapy and hair loss, to his remission, to his relapse and then ultimately to his bone marrow transplant followed by 11 weeks in the hospital and problem after problem, he has carried on with a smile and a playful personality. I'm doing this event for him, for the struggles our family went through and for the hope that one day we will find a cure to these diseases!

I'm also doing this event for all the patients and survivors I work with, like 6-year-olds Luke and Lauryn, who are also ALL survivors. I've gotten to know both of these little kids and their families and feel like they are part of my extended family. Their spirit, laughter and maturity both make me smile and bring tears to my eyes. They both can make a room light up just by being in it, and I am so honored to represent them as I train and participate in this event. This summer, they will both finish their long-term maintenence treatment, and I'm looking forward to celebrating right along with them.

Please consider joining me in celebrating Matt's, Luke's and Lauryn's amazing stories by making a donation to help advance LLS's mission. Your donation is 100% tax deductible and any size donation counts! You may make your gift right on this site or you may mail a check made out to LLS to my home address below. I'll be taking donations through my event on June 12, but please consider making your donation by end of March if possible so I can track my progress. Please also consider passing this site to anyone who may be interested in supporting the mission.

Training officially began Feb. 6, and since then I've been swimming, biking (both indoors) and running (outdoors in the snow and the cold!), so I'll be ready to hit the ground running (pun intended) when the event gets here. Thanks for your continued love and support!

Mallory Underwood ~ 10312 Sun Gold Court, Fishers, IN 46037