Two days ago, Cameron got sick out of the blue, which is not atypical for a 21-month old. However, Cameron took two naps that day – something he NEVER does given he usually has more energy than Stormy and I combined! And for just a split second and what I just as quickly pushed far out of my mind was the knowledge that fatigue is one of the symptoms of leukemia. With that came the unbearable, unthinkable emotions of ever having to see Cameron endure countless blood tests, injections, chemotherapy & endless tears. Fortunately, we were lucky and Cameron is on the mend from a minor virus, but far too many people hear the words cancer every day.

For the past 12 years, I’ve given a large part of myself to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), and last year, I made it even more personal. Becoming a mom changed my life in more ways I could have ever thought. So, as a new mom & even more passionate about the LLS Mission, I created ‘Moms In Training’ last spring. Despite no infrastructure and only two weeks of planning, an amazing group of 30 moms who trained together in Madison Square Park for a 10K race raised over $40,000 in the fight against cancer. This year, with the help of some incredible new mom friends I’ve met, we took the program to an entirely new level, spanning across 5 parks in NYC, training together to complete the Women’s 10K on June 8th. My original goal was 100 moms, raising $100,000. Currently, we have 170 moms taking part in the program with a new goal of raising $200,000. And because of this success, the program will expand nationally next year!

If I ever question what I got myself into (and what my husband likes to call my second full-time job!), the answers are simple:

1. I do it because I know all of my time and investment is making a difference. The survival rate for childhood leukemia (ALL) has climbed from 4% to over 90% in the past fifty years, thanks to the funding of LLS.

2. I do it because 90% isn’t enough. It’s not enough for the 10% of moms whose lives will never be the same after the loss of a child.

3. I do it because I believe that someday is TODAY. Every dollar you donate will bring us one step closer to finding a cure for cancer, not someday, but TODAY. The recent breakthroughs in treatments for blood cancers is truly unprecedented. These brilliant LLS-funded doctors & researchers are changing the way in which we look at all cancer treatments.

My personal fundraising goal is $25,000. To incent all of you to donate, Stormy and I are making a commitment to match the first $10,000 in donations to help me achieve my goal of doubling what I raised last year.

Thank you for being part of my journey through all these years.

With endless gratitude for your support,

Helena, Stormy, Cameron (and a future baby brother come September!)

Teams are made up of individuals. Without them, there is no team.

Welcome to my Team In Training home page.

I have a mission-to help find cures and more effective treatments for blood cancers. To accomplish that mission, I’m participating in a sports endurance event as a member of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Team In Training. Like the other members of TNT, I will be raising funds to help find cures and better treatments for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma. I’m improving the quality of my life by participating and with your support, I can help improve the quality of life for patients and their families as well.

Please make a donation in support of my efforts with Team In Training and help advance the research for cures.