COURAGE (n.) mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear or difficulty

In 2007, I joined Team In Training to run in Honor of my Uncle & Cousin who are both survivors of blood cancers. The cause of a cure for cancer became my calling.

Now, in 2010, I am still training for fight blood cancers. Little did I know that within the three years that have past, I have 2 new personal reasons to fight for.

My sources of inspiration...

Anna Fornells Gaffney & Lisa Vertovec Euthon

In September of 2008, my dearest friend Anna was diagnosed with Leukemia. I was blessed enough to be part of her "care" team and was with her through many of her chemo treatments. She was going strong in remission. Then, after a year, she relaspsed, and recently had to have a bone marrow transplant to fight for her life. She's married to a great guy (my friend as well) and they have a beautiful little boy.

This year, my cousin's wife, Lisa, was diagnosed with Lymphoma. She is fighting as well and is in the midst chemotherapy treatments. Lisa, is also mother & wife (to my cousin Tyler) and they also have 2 great little boys.

It riles me to the core that both Anna and Lisa and their families have to suffer through this. Frankly, the whole thing pisses me off.

Yet, they, astonishingly to me carry their burden with the utmost patience and dignity.

Does any of this seem fair? No.

I think, why them? I'm know both Anna and Lisa have had that thought, too.

However, they are both women of enormous faith who have the wisdom to say,

"Why not me?" Their faith amazes and humbles me.

They have courage that is open and unbridled. They have the gift of grace to endure.

To me, they are the definition of courage.

Do WE have a choice in all of this? Yes!

You can donate today, right now, online, to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society -- for them, for those of you that you love who've battled cancer, for those you don't know, for those who will get cancer, for the sake of saving lives.

I'll be putting myself through my 5th Marathon this year for this cause. Training is hard, it's gruesome at times, and sometimes it hurts a lot: cancer and it's chemo, radiation, drugs and marrow transplants on a pain scale are about a billion times worse.

I won't stop running, biking, swimming and being a voice for advocacy until there is a cure. I just won't. In good conscience, I can't. I'm not a doctor or an oncology researcher, but I will do everything within my power to make sure there are research dollars to fund a cure. And so should you.

What YOU can do is Give Now. Give Something. Give because Life is Precious & Worth it. Just Give. Lives depend on it.

Again, my courageous cancer warriors:

ANNA FORNELLS GAFFNEY & LISA VERTOVEC EUTHON

From me to Anna & Lisa:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11