Welcome to my Team In Training fundraising page!

The first time I ever learned about leukemia was through one of my favorite childhood books Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. Based on the courageous true story of Sadako Sasaki, the book tells a moving story of a little Japanese girl who developed leukemia as a result of radiation from the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and was inspired by an ancient Japanese legend that if a person folds a thousand origami cranes her wish would then be granted.

At the same time Sadako’s story would inspire my lifelong fascination with origami, my profoundly influential third grade teacher, Mrs. Thelma Stemley, explained to me that she was battling breast cancer. Like Sadako’s heart wrenching battle with her painful disease and treatment, Mrs. Stemley lost her persisting fight against cancer. While today among children and young people under 20, leukemia is the most common type of cancer and causes more deaths than any other cancer, Sadako would have a significantly greater chance of survival because of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) and she remains a symbol of hope and peace all over the world.

Sadako Sasaki immortalized atop the Children’s Peace Monument in

Hiroshima with outstretched arms holding a folded paper crane.

School classes in Japan regularly visit this monument (and children

from all over the world fold cranes and send them to Hiroshima)

where thousands of paper cranes are offered daily at the site.

(Thanks to austinmills for the flickr image! CC BY-NC 2.0)

I’ll be running the Nike Women’s Half Marathon in San Francisco this year to benefit LLS because of yet another little girl with leukemia. When only 3 ½ years old, she was diagnosed with ALL leukemia, which is the most common cancer in children aged 1 to 7 years old. After enduring 27 months of grueling chemotherapy, she has grown up to become not only healthfully cancer free, but what a lasting friend of her family recently described as a “miracle person.” And miraculously for me, she is the love of my life. So it is with great pride that I join Sally Ekus in this half marathon because her story would have had a different outcome were it not for LLS.

It’s so hard to imagine an innocent child fighting for her life against cancer, as well as for the more than a million Americans who are living with or are in remission from a blood cancer. And nowadays, all of our lives are touched by someone with cancer. Sally’s efforts to fight against cancer instill hope in me like my sister Linda’s inspirational fight against breast cancer. As Sally continues to raise awareness and funds for other children like her, I want to give her all my love and be there every step of the way until we cross the finish line in San Francisco, and well beyond.

I’m so proud to run with Sally and to be a part of our corporate team, The Lisa Ekus Group, which is not just Sally’s employer but also the namesake of her loving all-around-awesome mom. Our team also includes another employee, Corinne Fay, who is a remarkable friend and supporter of Sally and LLS. Our 3 person team joins tens of thousands of other members all over the world of Team in Training, all of us participating in the world’s largest endurance sports training program on behalf of LLS to raise money to help find cures and more effective treatments for blood cancers as well as providing important patient services.

Please help support my efforts with Team In Training and my mission to fulfill Sadako’s wish and the hope of children like Sally. Our Lisa Ekus Group Team wants to celebrate Sally being 25 years cancer free this year by raising at least $25,000!

My fundraising deadline is September 24th, but donations to LLS are always accepted! Donations can be made on this page, on our team page, or you can send me a check (c/o The Lisa Ekus Group, 57 North Street, Hatfield, MA 01038) made payable to: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

I’m really excited to show Sally how much support I can give her and to see what we can all accomplish together!

Me and Sally!

Team Page Here

Sally's Page Here

Corinne's Page Here