Thank you so much for visiting my fundraising page. Many of you are probably familiar with my husband Christopher Wilno. He has been with Team in Training since 2004. He was first a marathon participant, was then a mentor, then assistant coach and is now a coach for the Westside Marathon team. Over the years, he has shared his story to the world. That story is my story except from a slightly different point of view. All the same hardships. All the same struggles. All the same losses. Chris's journey began when his father was diagnosed with leukemia in September 2002. My journey began when my father in law was diagnosed with leukemia in September 2002. Chris spent the next 15 months flying back and forth to South Carolina to be with his parents. I was able to join some of the trips but, for the most part, I missed my husband and was so sad to see all he was going through and more importantly all his father Albert was going through.

The second part of Chris' story is the loss of Isabella, our beautiful little girl that passed away at birth on August 1st 2003.......right in the middle of Albert's battle. That is of course very much my story as well. It was a very difficult time. I was with Isabella for 9 months and as a mother, you feel like you come to know your little girl even though you have not yet spoken. That day, going through labor knowing the outcome, was something I wish on no family. None of it made sense. Much of it still does not for me but I do share Chris' strong belief that blessings come from difficult times. While I was not with Albert in his final months, I know of the strength he gained from knowing Isabella had preceeded him in Heaven. He did not get to hold his granddaughter here in this world but he truly believed he would hold her on his next stop.

A little while after Albert passed away on January 12, 2004, some tests that had been performed on me as a result of Isabella's passing came back with some unusual results. Ultimately, these test results led doctors to the thyroid cancer growing inside my neck. As a parent you always want to do everything you can to protect your children. It is Isabella, in this case, that protected me. Chris talks about her volunteering for heaven because she knew it might save her Mom and I believe that so very much. If she had not passed away, I might not be here today to be the mother for Tiana, Jaden and Thalia. This first bout with cancer was won by me but cancer does not give up easily and it returned almost exactly five years later. I thought I was at the doctor to be told I was cancer free but was instead told we had to begin from scratch.......search for surgeons.......choose procedures.........and all that goes with a cancer diagnosis. I am happy to say that I again won the battle with cancer but you never really sleep easy once you have had cancer growing inside you. You may rid it from your body but it leaves behind a level of fear that it might return.

It is all of these things that bring me to fundraise for Team in Training. It has been a part of my life with Chris since Albert passed away in 2004. Our son was weeks old the first time Chris crossed his first TNT finish line and has come to be very good at the 'Go Team' chant. Chris has crossed many finish lines since then and after he crosses the Ironman Wisconsin finish line on 9-11-11, it will be my turn. I will have my time to train. I will have my time to fight back. I will have my time to show cancer it will not win this battle. I know many of you have helped our family raise money over the years so I am sorry to ask for help again (I know Chris will ask you). I do not need to be a top fundraiser. I just want to be a part of making a difference and I appreciate anything you can contribute to help make that happen for me. Thank you so much for being a part of our lives over the years.