I have been so overwhelmed by everyone's generosity and support as I look to run 4 Half Marathons this Spring in honor of little 4 year old Merry and all children who are fighting blood cancers.

I am especially touched by the love and support from the kidlit (children's literature) community.

Because of their warmth and generosity, I am able to have this wonderful raffle of fabulous prizes.

Rafflle Instructions

Every donation to my page BEFORE APRIL 15th will be entered into this raffle.

• $10 ~ one entry
• $20 ~ two entries
• $30 ~ four entries
• $50 ~ ten entries!

If you have already donated, you will be entered based on the amount of your donation.

Prizes:

A personalized SIGNED copy of either:

• • • CAN'T SLEEP WITHOUT SHEEP by Susanna Leonard Hill
• • • PUNXATAWNY PHYLLIS by Susanna Leonard Hill
• • • APRIL FOOL, PHYLLIS by Susanna Leonard Hill
• • • BOY + BOT by Ame Dyckman

A custom-made LEGO kit from BKNY Bricks, either:

• • • a subway car
• • • a garbage truck
• • • an ice cream truck
• • • a fire truck
• • • a taxi cab

A set of magnets from Wanart (Joyce Wan), either:

• • • Fuzzy Animals
• • • Food & Coffee
• • • Russian Dolls

A 12x12 canvas SIGNED walled art from Joyce Wan AND a SIGNED copy of her board book, "You Are My Cupcake"!

Thank you and good luck! All proceeds go directly to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society!

Good luck!

At the end of a season, teammates often ask the BIG question: "Are you signing up for next season?" My answer for a long time was "no". I had my reasons. 1) Training for a marathon is time consuming and a lot of hardwork. I wasn't sure I had it in me. 2) Fundraising is a difficult thing and I was unsure that I wanted to do it again.

But then I heard about one very special little girl and her story...

Meredith "Merry", age 4, was diagnosed back on May 10 with the T-cell subgroup of ALL and got a bone marrow transplant from her brother in Boston Children's Hospital not quite a month ago. Unfortunately she has been through a lot with the transplant and still hasn't had any ANC (goal for release is 3 consecutive days over 500). Once she finally does get released she will need to do 2-3 days a week at the Jimmy Fund Clinic and then once they are happy with her progress she can get her follow up treatments at the Connecticut Children's Medical Center. Then once home she will be in isolation for about a year.

Obviously this is all difficult for Merry but it also effects her brother and sister with their mother or father (or both) needing to be in Boston with Merry and them needing to keep living their life in CT and will effect what they can do when she gets home and is in isolation.

I had to sign up and I will be running the NYC Half Marathon on March 17th, 2013.

All of us in Team In Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. I am completing this event in honor of Merry and all 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!

Please consider making a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance LLS's mission. Any little bit would help! Let's make 2013 the year that cancer is defeated!

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

Thanks for your generosity and support...it means so much! xoxo

Marcie