Not long ago I found myself at the Inspiration Dinner for the Vineman Team, the night before my AWESOME husband finished his second Half Ironman. I heard so many stories of how people's lives have been changed by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Some people had found comfort in the community when cancer struck their family. Others had directly benefited from medical breakthroughs made possible by research funded by LLS.

As I listened to their stories, I realized two things:

• These people kept coming back to give what they could to they cause, and
• I needed to join them again.

I'm raising money and running another half marathon (the Tinkerbell Half Marathon with the Carlsbad/Tinkerbell Winter Team) because I can -- because it's a small, small thing I can do to join the fight against cancer. I lost my friend Rebecca last year, and my mother continues to battle. Two other friends had breast cancer surgery in the last six months. Today I am healthy and thankful to be in a place where I can give both time and fundraising energy to this worthy cause.

Please join me... even if it's just a buck or five. Or five hundred. Or whatever. I've been known to write a nice thank-you note in my time, and I'd love to send you one.