Thank you for helping to save lives!!

I'm training to participate in the NYC Half Marathon on July 27th as a member of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training , to help raise funds for a cure to eradicate blood cancers. This may be one of the most exhilarating things I will have ever done in my life.

As hard as it will be for me to complete that race, I imagine it won't come even close to what the people battling leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma, face on an every day basis. That is why I am inspired and honored to run in memory of Joel Braunstein of Virginia.

Joel was a very brave and an enormously giving and thoughtful individual who wanted to change the world in a positive way- for example before attending college he served as a missionary for a year, and he later received a degree in Advanced Biblical Research. He always lived life to the fullest in everything he did, whether it was in music, poetry or sports. He was a self-taught musician of a variety of instruments including the trumpet which he played in a school marching band. He also loved poetry as it related to classical music. He was as fast as lightning and still holds the record for the most pull ups at his elementary school. Joel was 19 when he was diagnosed with leukemia in 1986. He received two bone marrow donations from his fraternal twin, Jason. Unfortunately, in 1994, Joel lost his fight to leukemia after his second transplant at the age of 27.

Thus, running with the Leukemia and Lymphoma society's Team In Training is helping me achieve both the personal satisfaction that I will get from achieving my goal, and allow me- with your generous contributions- to ultimately become an integral part in saving lives. And that is my greatest motivation for raising funds for this half-marathon, and I need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!

My goal is to raise at least $2500, and I'm counting on you to help me go above and beyond this goal!!! I'm also counting on you for encouragement to help me get through the training for the next few weeks. I already know you'll be on my team.

I hope you will visit my web site often, and tell your friends about it. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress.

On behalf of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, thanks in advance for your support!