Tom Farnam - - Racing to Save Lives

We are going back for the eighth time to the Nike Women's Marathon - October 16, 2011 will be my 7th appearance as a competitor, Naomi's 8th! Both of us will be doing the 13.1 miles of the Half Marathon again, a couple of weeks after we do the Marathon di Tuscany. 4 weeks earlier Naomi will be riding 100 miles with TNT in the Moab Century Tour with me along as support/mechanic. After the Nike we return to Virginia, where we'll racewalk the Marine Corps Marathon 10K on October 30. The 10K uses the last 6.2 miles of the MCM course, finishing at the Iwo Jima Memorial. You may recall last year's MCM was my last full marathon. Finished it, but enough is enough<grin>

So, once again this year I am raising money for LLS again, trying to add to the $1 Billion raised for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society since TNT was created 22 years ago. Some of that money has gone to help my friend Bob Raleigh in his battle with AML or acute myelogenous leukemia. Not long ago we were not sure about Bob's prognosis, by May of 2010 he was well enough to be back in the courtroom and now he's going strong.

The other reason I keep doing this is a young man named Caleb Schneck, who turned 6 in February of this year (he is pictured above in the yellow "TNT gear"). He is also a leukemia survivor, having been diagnosed at age 3. Caleb is a very active boy who seems to be able to take the ongoing medical issues with amazing grace, as do his parents and family.

Bob and Caleb are survivors instead of statistics thanks to research funded by your TNT contributions. The treatment programs both of themparticipate in are funded in part by the Leuekemia and Lymphoma Society, the parent of TNT. Bob's done with active treatment and is putting his life back together again, thanks to your help. Caleb's medical attention is currently more active than Bob's but his Mom says in about a year his active treatments should be complete.

Bob and Caleb are what we at TNT call "Honored Teammate" - the ones who are fighting the blood cancers in person. Ohers involved with TNT are people like me who get out and do these endurance events because they are "fun". Yes, there is hard work involved, but when the race is finished, it's fun.

Your contribution to this LLS fundraising is the best possible way to help support treatment for Bob, Caleb and all the others who are fighting blood cancers. We don't have a cure yet, but the survival rates are improving every year, thanks in large part to the money donated by friends of TNT. In fact Dr. Kwak, whose work has been funded by LLS, is on the 2010 Time100 list in recognition of his work with cancer vaccines.

Please - take the time now to make a donation! By supporting my participation in Team In Training you help patients like Bob & Caleb and advance LLS's mission. Use the link on this page to contribute by credit card, or send a check to me in Alexandria and I'll be sure it's properly credited on the TNT records.

I hope you will visit my web site often. Be sure to check my racewalking blog frequently to see my progress.

Want to join us for the MCM10K? Great way to see the fun of the MCM, and it's only 6.2 miles. Just use this link to register, but get there soon as they limit it to 10,000 people.

Thanks for your support!

"Walking Tom" Farnam

www.walkingtom.blogspot.com

GREAT NEWS! My Honored Teammates are winning their personal battles against blood cancer! Of course, there are thousands of others who are less fortunate, and the need for our efforts is not reduced, but it certainly helps to understand our efforts are making a difference.

Caleb Schneck, who is now six but was three years old when diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic (or Lymphoblastic) Leukemia (ALL) is now nearly at the last of his three years of active treatment. His last IV chemotherapy session is scheduled for June 20, and later in the summer (or maybe after pool season) he'll go back for surgery to remove his "port". For more details, see Caleb's Caring Bridge site and read the journal entries from his mother Melanie.

With that news in mind, I called Bob Raleigh to get an update on the status of his Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML), which was first diagnosed in 2009. Bob will have been in remission for two years at the end of June. He even had an extra special event May 21st when his wonderful dog Charlie got to lead the Walk for Animals as the Mascot for the "Bark in the Park". My sources tell me Charlie generously let Bob and his lovely lady Noelle Miles join in the celebration in St. Louis' Forest Park.

Please - take the time now to make a donation! By supporting my participation in Team In Training you help patients like Bob & Caleb and advance LLS's mission. Use the link on this page to contribute by credit card, or send a check to me in Alexandria and I'll be sure it's properly credited on the TNT records. If your employer has a "matching gift" program be sure to let me know and we'll make the necessary arrangements.

I hope you will visit my web site often. Be sure to check my racewalking blog frequently to see my progress.

Thanks for your support!

"Walking Tom" Farnam

www.walkingtom.blogspot.com