Barbara "Granny" Bishop
I was extremely close to my Granny. I spent a lot of time with her in Mt. Washington as I was growing up. I have her to thank for my complexion. :) I loved coming to stay with her for a week or several days at a time. She painted me in Calamine lotion when I had the chicken pox. My mom had to go to a teacheing conference in Louisville, so I stayed with Granny in order for her to ensure I didn't scratch my skin off. She made me wear white dress gloves the entire 3 days so as not to leave scars when I scratched. She's part of my wanting to pursue a career in nursing. I use to go with her to people's houses. She would check on them and help them when they were sick. She had a huge heart, and wanted to help everyone she met even though she didn't have much herself. She use to tell me we were related to Pocahontas, and I was fascinated. People would call me that from time to time growing up, and I always pretended to be her when I was daydreaming. Granny was diagnosed with Lung Cancer at age 55. She smoked for years and years. She had a lobe of one of her lungs removed, and we thought she’d beat Cancer. Unfortunately, the cancer spread to her brain 5 years later, and it was too much for her to fight. She was diagnosed in June of 1992 with metastatic brain cancer. She fought hard for 6 months, but she passed 3 days before my 9th birthday, and was buried on my 9th birthday. I think that was her way to tell me that we'd always be connected. :) Raising money in her honor, is how I keep herheart and spirit alive.
I have been given the honor to train in honor of my friend Julie's dad who lost his battle to cancer 1 year ago this May. He was a wonderful man, and I am proud to train in honor of Tony. Tony was diagnosed in January of 2008 with mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer. His doctors here in Louisville gave him 3 months to live. An expiration date was not what he wanted so he fought for a better answer. He found it in Dr. Sugarbaker at Brigham women's hospital in Boston, MA. He was getting to be well known for a radical procedure to treat Tony’s specific cancer. After all was said and done, they removed most of what the cancer infected, which included his entire right lung, 1/2 of his diaphragm, 2 ribs and the lining from the bottom of his heart and they did a chemo wash while he was in surgery. He recovered well and after a few weeks they let him go home. He would fly back and forth every 3 months for labs and PET scans. Everything was great until a year later when the cancer had come back in his adrenal glands. Treatment was chemo every couple weeks. Tony took it like a champ entertaining all the oncology nurses! But after several months, chemo had to be stopped due to the damage on his already weakened kidneys. He had suffered from diabetes for years. For a couple years it was a healthy, joyful time. Then all of a sudden, Tony started feeling bad. He was having back pains and trouble walking. He went to the doctor and MRI after MRI showed nothing. He knew something was wrong but no one not even his family believed it. There was no proof. After trying to maintain care in my home, we had to rely on outside care. Tony entered the Masonic home in April of 2012. Therapist from all disciplines worked with him. He was losing feeling and sensation in his legs. But he pushed on through therapy. He would go to the hospital and back to the Masonic home. Finally, the nurse practitioner ordered a specific MRI. Part of the cancer crept back to his spine and formed a tumor. It was inoperable. And the thinking was shifted from treatable therapy for his legs to we need to start thinking about what if. That was on a Thursday. On Saturday the MD said we may just have a few days to a few weeks. Tony passed away at 10pm that evening.
The battle against cancer is an unimaginable fight. One that words can't even begin to describe for those that fight it, and for their family members that experience that fight while standing strong by their side. Hopefully one day noone will have to fight, suffer, adnd then fight some more. Hopefully the word cancer will one day be a memory that is no more. That is why I train. That is why I raise money. For it to be a memory.
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I want to introduce one of the bravest littlle girls or for that matter person I've ever met! Her name is Ava Lucille, and she's a hero of mine. I'm training for the Ironman in Honor of her, and the fight she battled with Cancer. Ava was diagnosed at age 3 in May of 2011 w/Wilms tumor(Nephroblastoma) a form of kidney cancer. The disease occurs in about 1 out of 200,000 to 250,000 children. It usually strikes when a child is about 3 years old. After undergoing aggressive surgery in which she lost her left kidney and 21 weeks of chemotherapy she immediately relapsed with metastatic lesions to her lungs. In November of 2011 she had a section of her lung removed and then proceeded to go through the most aggressive 7 month, round the clock impatient chemotherapy. Can you imagine when you're supposesed to be playing, and enjoying being a child, undergoing chemo? Thankfully Ava never stopped fighting and she has now been cancer free for 8 months!!! Ava's mom, Allison is a dear longtime friend of mine. Allison is a photographer, and wanted to document Ava's expereince. She had a friend docment the struggle via a blog that you can visit here http://avalucille.tumblr.com/ Ava is a gift, and I am honored to be training for her, and fundraising to help beat cancer! This is why I train, to help more little girls and boys be able to say they are cancer free!!!!
I began running in 2008, and I could barely run 5 minutes at a time wthout wanting to sit down and quit. But thankfully I kept at it. Day after day. All I wanted to do was run a 5k. That was until my friend Emily asked if I could run a leg of her Louisville Marathon with her. I agreed but with the upfront warning message of, "I've never run more than 2-3 miles. I won't be fast."
I joined her that day in October and was introduced to a new world; a new lifestyle. I was only going to run 3 miles with her, but something amazing happened that day. I ran for 6 miles instead; the longest I'd ever run. to I had the bug.
The next year I ran a half-marathon, and that August of 2009 I witnessed for the first time, something more magical than a half marathon completion; I watched my first Ironman Louisville. I'd never heard of triathlons or even the Ironman. I was inspired and humbled by all the athletes I saw that day competing against themselves, and a clock.Not just young athletes, but older men and women. No really older as in 70! I saw a woman with her age of 70 years temporarily tattooed by a permanent marker on her leg, and it hit me; I wanted to do this. So I decided to train for a marathon. I needed to see if could at least finish a marathon. 2 marathons, 7 half marathons, 2 sprint triathlons, and a Century ride later, I'm ready to challenge my ultimate goal.
If you know me, you know I don't just like to do things for the heck of it. I want to make a difference. I want all of those miles that I'll be swimming, biking, and running in preparation to mean something. This is why I decided to partner with Team in Training and raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I want to make sure we defeat cancer, because Cancer Sucks!
Like the other members of TNT, I will be raising funds to help find cures and better treatments for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma. I’m improving the quality of my life by participating and with your support, I can help improve the quality of life for patients and their families as well.
Please make a donation in support of my efforts with Team In Training and help advance the research for cures.
Gerstle's Let's Beat... | $1,423.00 |
Jeff Wells | $1,031.00 |
Julie Peyton | $500.00 |
Roadblock | $359.00 |
Tracie Brooks | $250.00 |
Nancy Nehring | $200.00 |
Emily Hawkins | $200.00 |
Roadblock | $184.00 |
David & Bhavini ... | $101.00 |
Anita Moorman | $101.00 |
Humana | $100.00 |
Gerstle's LLC | $100.00 |
William Hart | $100.00 |
Shane Koch | $100.00 |
The Humana Foundatio... | $100.00 |
Charlotte Manning | $100.00 |
Britt Crawford | $100.00 |
Curran Wilkinson | $100.00 |
Linda Pitcock | $100.00 |
Lois & Jim LaBel... | $100.00 |
Erin Rasinen | $75.00 |
Carole & Dave | $57.00 |
Kristen Lemastus | $50.00 |
Harold Hancock | $50.00 |
Ruth Ann Curtis | $50.00 |
Suzanne Steinbrecher... | $50.00 |
Robert Blair | $50.00 |
Mickie Vallandingham... | $50.00 |
Emily Williams | $50.00 |
Kim, Juli and Kylar ... | $50.00 |
Comedy Caravan | $50.00 |
Megan Patterson | $50.00 |
Jana Myrick | $50.00 |
Jason Ramsey | $50.00 |
Christina Parks | $50.00 |
Mignon Lewis | $50.00 |
Megan French | $50.00 |
Cindy Whitehouse | $50.00 |
Holly and Ty Kessing... | $50.00 |
Michael Scott Medley... | $50.00 |
Steven Haywood | $30.00 |
Lucy Hollingsworth | $30.00 |
Kim Labelle | $30.00 |
Beth Mickle | $25.00 |
Laura Taylor | $25.00 |
Eric H | $25.00 |
Chelsea Grover | $25.00 |
Jessie Halladay | $25.00 |
Mike Rowles | $25.00 |
Emily Grogg | $25.00 |
Rachel Bragg | $25.00 |
Joy Rogers | $25.00 |
Aaron Hugeback | $25.00 |
Jason Younga | $25.00 |
Shizuka Buckner | $25.00 |
Kendyll Laws | $25.00 |
Gary Bernstein | $25.00 |
April Schleig | $25.00 |
Christa Turner | |
Elizabeth Shines and... | |
Walt and Cecelia Gar... | |
Jeff Seidenfaden | |
Erin Rasinen | |
Nicole Iarrobino | |
Heather Perkins | |
Brad and Audrey Holl... | |
Per and Rebecca | |
Elliot Mattingly | |
Nicholle Duncan | |
Ken Colling | |
Marion Hambrick | |
Keith Labelle | |
LYNDA KEETON | |
Jessie Chandler | |
Brittany Karoly | |
Genie Thompson | |
Jim Labelle | |
Keith LaBelle | |
Christa Turner |
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The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) is a global leader in the fight against cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is a 501(c)(3) organization, and all monetary donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by tax laws. Please check with your financial advisor if you have more questions.