Christina's Road to Nike!

You can check out a video a news station did on her @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzu7klbWI_8

Racing to Save Lives

This little cutie is 4 year old Peyton. She's a ray of sunshine that has been bravely fighting Acute Lymphoblast Leukemia since she was 2. I was introduced to Peyton and her family through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society website. Through reading her story and getting to know her and her family I've realized what a little ball of energy she is along with being such a brave fighter! She is an inspiration to me as I train these next few months and as I run in honor of her and in memory of my cousin Kit. Thinking about her and her fight gets me though those hard runs that seem so long! One exciting thing is that Peyton is also a story of success! She and her family found out in May that her spinal fluid came back free of cancer! This is the first step on the road to remission for her! Hooray!

It's stories like this that make you realize how important it is to keep fighting for a cure for cancer. In fact, it is because of the research that was made possible through fundraising programs like Team in Training that the survival rates for the most common form of children's leukemia have increased from 4% to 85%! But we can't stop there, and that is why I am back fundraising for a cure!

Many of you probably know that I'm not a runner! If you would have asked me a month ago if I would ever run a marathon I would have laughed & said “Never!” However, I’ve decided to once again partner along side those who are fighting each day for their lives. I want to inspire people as I train and complete the Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco this October along side over 20,000 other Team in Training (TNT) participants.

In the past few years you may remember that I’ve partnered with TNT, part of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), to complete my first Olympic triathlon & 100mile century bike ride. Through these events and with the help from many of you I was able to raise over $5,500 to help fund extraordinary research for blood cancers. Some amazing and ground-breaking discoveries have even been found right here in Oregon up at OHSU.

Being a cardiac ICU nurse, I devote much of my time caring for people & helping them to get well so they can live a better life. However, I can’t take away or cure blood cancers as much as I might try and want to. What I can do is raise money for research thatcan find and is finding cures for all the different blood cancers. That’s why I’ve committed to raising at least $3,300 this time. My goal is to fulfill my pledge amount by October 2nd so your quick response would be greatly appreciated! (of course I'll accept donations through November 2nd)

My cousin Kit was my original inspiration for joining Team in Training. Kit was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblast Leukemia (ALL) at the age of 19. The LLS played a huge role in his fight, providing much needed information and resources to the family and were a real presence supporting him through his battle. Even amidst his radiation and chemo, Kit found the strength to be one of my biggest supporters cheering me on and even donating his own money to my fundraising. Kit went home to be with the Lord on June 17, 2006, just 6 days before the Pacific Crest Triathlon. That race was dedicated to him as I raced in his memory. My involvement with Kit’s daily battle and my partnering with TNT meant so much to him. He never gave up fighting his battle and he didn’t want me to give up on finding a cure. Even though there wasn’t a cure for him he wanted a cure to be there for others, a cure that will hopefully be found sooner because of the research that is being funded through this program.

Through my involvement with TNT, I have been shocked time & time again how almost everyone I come into contact with has some personal connection to cancer through a family member, co-worker or friend. Cancer, unfortunately, is one of those things that touches almost everyone in some shape or form.

So, I’m asking for your help! (however big or small!)

All donations are tax deductible and over 75% of all the money goes directly to research and patient support.

You can DONATE ONLINE Here!

(or you can donate with cash or checks made out to LLS and E-mail me for my address)

New life saving developments are discovered and fine tuned each year.

Please be a part of my team as I run this race to save valuable lives!

Christina

ccournia@yahoo.com

I hope you will visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress. Thanks for your support!

Saturday, 17 May 2008

First run, 2 miles...hmmm 13.1 seems like a long way off!

Monday, 26 May 2008

Bump in the road...very bad respiratory infection AND a cracked rib from coughing so much...6 week recovery! Yuck!

Saturday, 7 June 2008

First run back after the whole...ummm...rib experience! Definitely hurting still! Hopefully this will get better!

Saturday, 28 June 2008

Well, I lost any milage that I had built up before the rib thing so I'm back to basics and up to 3 miles.

Saturday, 19 July 2008

Things are definitly looking better. I'm up to 5 miles and I'm finding some great new running routes in my neiborhood!

Saturday, 9 August 2008

Now's when the real commitment comes in! I've started back on night shift which means that I have to run after I've worked a 12 shift. Hmmm...much more of a challenge! I'm up to 7.5 miles (it would be 8 but I haven't found a 8 mile loop yet! Working on that one!)