I am riding 100 miles around Lake Tahoe in Nevada and California to save lives, and you can be a part of it!
Next week in the United States, FIFTY patients will be newly diagnosed with a blood cancer. If this was YOUR daughter, YOUR son, YOUR niece, YOUR nephew, or YOUR grandchild, would you give up or would you fight?
Please make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance LLS's mission. A gift as little as $25 will help more than you know. For the cost of a few Starbucks lattes, or a dinner out, or two movie tickets, you too can make a difference. Your donation, CAN and WILL:
** HELP fund a laboratory researcher with one day of supplies critical to carrying out their search for a cure.
** HELP fund testing for a potential bone marrow donor.
** HELP families in need for medical reimbursement.
Each of us has a connection to someone whose life has been affected by Leukemia == be it direct or through an acquaintance. My story, while not personal, is one of young Zach Davidson and his father Jeff. I do not personally know Zach or Jeff, but after hearing their story a chord was struck.
Zach's story is, unfortunately, not unique. He was diagnosed with Leukemia when he was 3, and is currently in treatment for roughly two more years. As a father, we all want to protect and make an impact upon our children's lives. The stories we hear of parental heroes, be it on television, on the radio, or on the internet, makes us all think twice and to be thankful for the lives we enjoy.
Jeff's story is one of legends, but likely not one of a kind. His willingness to push himself physically and mentally to raise money to find a cure for his son's disease is truly inspirational. Jeff and Zach are in the midst of an ongoing battle, and when approached by a friend of Jeff's to participate in this battle my only answer was "when do we start?"
This was nearly 10 weeks ago, and since that day I have been training for a grueling, but picturesque, 100 mile bike ride around Lake Tahoe. While Zach and Jeff are my inspiration and my cause, my own family and health was also a consideration. Since I ended my swimming career, my health suffered and this goal has given me new life and a new outlook. It gives me an opportunity to impact Zach, Jeff and the rest of their family, as well as many more families like theirs.
But my impact needs YOUR help, YOUR help to raise my personal goal of $7,500 for blood cancer research. Team in Training's goal is to raise funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. I am completing this event in honor of Zach specifically, but truly in honor of all the individuals who are battling blood cancers. These people are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!
I hope you will visit often to keep tabs on my progress, and I thank you in advance for your support!
Scott
About the event: America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride in Lake Tahoe, NV circumnavigates the highways clockwise around Lake Tahoe in Nevada and California. The event features breathtaking views. With challenging climbs and short rolling ascents and descents, this ride is a must-do for all cyclists. Picturesque rest stops and ample support will greet riders as they navigate around Lake Tahoe.
Scott Goldblatt
Last Edited on: 01/28/2009