Hi, Welcome to my page and thank you for supporting our fight against blood cancers!

My name is Teresa Holladay. I'm training to run in The Denver Marathon on October 19, 2008 as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training (TNT).

When you see those purple TNT jerseys crossing the line, you'll know that we didn't just train hard to complete a marathon. All of us TNT members will have trained in honor of a patient hero and raised money to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives.

Why I support The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS)

The list of people with blood cancers within my circle of family, friends, and co-workers just keeps growing. Wouldn't it be great if we found a cure before it hits someone else I love?

Why I am running in the Denver Marathon

I'm running Denver because I didn't want to do something so hard without the support of my friends! I ran with my team in the Georgetown to Idaho Springs Half-Marathon a few weeks ago and am headed down the home stretch to that Denver marathon. A slight knee injury and a shoulder surgery slowed me down a little but didn't stop me, I train every day and I'm having more fun than ever!

And, by the way, this is the hardest physical thing I've ever done! I'm really proud to be able to do this.

Follow my funny stories and training progress on my blog at http://SheCanRun.com.

I'm running for Russ Stevens

You know, I finally got to meet Russ a month ago at my first fundraising dinner at Sweet Tomatoes. He is doing amazingly well. He had gone to the ER to have a sore lump on his elbow looked at, he thought he'd injured it playing softball or something. They called him as he was driving home from the hospital and told him to come back. He didn't come home again for three weeks.

He had a bone marrow transplant in March 2008 and has come through it beautifully. There is no sign of the leukemia now. We don't know if that means he's in remission, he still has all kinds of medical activity going on and isn't able to work. But he has a great attitude and is focused on being the best dad and husband he can be.

His brother, Sean, was the donor for Russ' transplant. To see the selflessness and good spirits in this family towards their son and brother and father is just incredible.

The real story...

... is about how his family is treating ME. I thought this was all about THEM. Every time Russ sees me, he gives me a bone-breaking hug! His family and friends come out by the dozens to support my fundraising events, his mom sends me a lovely handwritten thank-you and encouragement card every week along with some bananas and fruit to help me "recharge", and she contributes her "mad money" every few weeks so that I don't have to raise it all, myself. They can't believe someone would go to this kind of effort to help their son and as each week goes by, they just pull out all the stops to show their love for me.

I can't think of when I have ever been treated with this much kindness. I know his mom and dad from church, they are an older generation. His mom's health is quite fragile. Yet, still, they devote all this support to me. I don't know if I will ever be able to thank them for the huge outpouring of love and belief that they give me.

Running this marathon is a privilege and I will never forget this experience.