What I'm doing now: I'm training to participate in a half marathon this September and the Marine Corps Marathon in October as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training. All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives.

September 5 - Rock n Roll Half Marathon - VA Beach, VA

October 31 - Marine Corps Marathon - Washington, DC

Why I chose to support LLS: I am completing this event in memory of my Uncle Tony who lost his battle to acute myeloid leukemia last August Following his death, I learned a lot about this horrible disease. Leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer among children under the age of 20. Lymphomas are the most common blood cancers and incidence increases with age. The survival rate for myeloma is only 37.1 percent.

I've also learned about a number of other people who have survived and are battling these blood cancers, as well as others who have lost their lives. I will be running in a shirt decorated with ribbons to honor those special people.

In addition to my Uncle Tony, I am running in memory of:

• "TC" Gregory Thomas Center (friend of Todd Trzaskoma)
• Caroline Gallagher Cranston (friend of Kathy Theilacker)
• Wanda Daley (sister in law of Rose Wilcox and wife of Ed Daley)
• Dan DePasquale (father of Donna Marino)
• Luciana Divine (mother of Bob Divine)
• Ronald Glass (Uncle of Jane Jones)
• Thomson "Tom" Gregg (uncle of Seth Gregg)
• Fred Keating (Father of Jim Keating)
• Fred Nitsos (father of Donna Ellison)
• Paul H. Riemenschneider (Friend of Elise and Michael Forrester)
• Steve Riggs (friend of Linda and Steve Andersen)
• John Joseph Ruddy, III (Brother of Maureen Cook)
• Peggy Scanlan (friend of Laurie Mirda)
• Lyle Schertz (father of Martha Chamberlin)
• Marla Stracener (friend of Kathy Theilacker)

I am also running in honor of the following survivors and warriors:

• Kevin Crumlish (friend of Pat Wolff)
• Elaine Gilbertson (Mother of Gary Gilbertson)
• Judy Gilbertson Hanna (Sister of Gary Gilbertson)
• Ric L (cousin of Margie Hoffman)
• Kendra McCullough (Daughter of John McCullough)
• khlass Roy (Mother of Reema Butler)
• Miles Roy (Cousin of Reema Butler)"
• Geraldine Sullivan (friend of Pat Wolff)

What you can do:

Please make a donation to support my participation and help advance LLS's mission. You can donate online or send a check payable to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Thank you for your support!

In addition to the online donations shown on the right, I have raised over $5,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society thanks to the following for their generous donations:

Selwa and Charlie Ahmadieh

Kathy and Steve Baker

Rita Ball

Sandy Brown

Madeline Countess and Jim Brueneman

Christine and Larry Budd

Tracey Burch

Reema and Bill Butler

Maryann Ceh

Val Chandra

Marcia and John Cipriani

Judy and John Cuddehe

Linda and Michael DelaRosa

Cindy and Bob DiPalma

Julia and William Dunwoody

Donna and Mike Ellison

Ginger English

Mark Fleming

Laura and Kevin Fritzlen

Cassie and Joel Fuller

Wayne Fuller

Cynthina and Jim Glakas

Laura Gray

Linda and Don Greco

Kristina Grist

Nini Hajoun

Sue and Rich Harpe

Margie Hoffman

Michelle Howlett

Katy and Brian Johnson

Shannon Kaisler

Suzanne and Jim Keating

Doreen and Bruce Klein

Beth Linehan

Lori and Jay Manik

Kathi and Tim May

Jeannine and Rory Maynard

Susan and Steve Messick

Barbara and Tony Michels

Laurie and Michael Mirda

Debbie and Andy Murphy

Roya and Mickey Najmabadi

Tami Negri

Janine Newman

Sue and SE Nunamaker

Donna and Enzo Orsini

Linda and Lou Paladeau

CJ and Scott Peters

David Register

Jody Tufano Ritchie

Rene and Dan Rizzo

Stella and Wayne Roberts

Joanne and Glenn Smith

Jen and Pete Spohn

Cathy and Bob Succolosky

Kathleen and John Theilacker

Shirley and Paul Thurneysen

Joyce and John Tufano

Sharon and John Tufano

Aunt Peggy Tufano

Mina and Albert Vasquez

Bridget Ventrelli

Dawne Ward

Larry and Natalie Ward

Collin Wheeler and 123 Junk

Paula and Gregory Williams