Racing to Save Lives

I'm training to participate in an endurance event as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training. All of us on 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 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!

As I write this, no one is home, it's peacefully quiet and I'm comfortable in the silence. I am more and more convinced that “change†comes in moments of peace, during pauses—when we get to ponder ideas, causes, concepts, practices, etc.—and not in the heat of the moment when we are pressed with life and it's ever-constant challenges.

So I just turned 32, which gave me pause. Getting older doesn't really scare me, but what does is that awareness of time passing and having yet to make my mark. Continually I ask myself, "What am I doing that will make a difference?" I'm not a person of big ideas or visions of grandeur, but however small or large, I recognize that each of us touches others in ways we cannot put a price tag on. So this season, my way of making a difference is to again, run for a cause.

With the economy as it is, I find it hard to ask my friends and family to join me in this effort, but my glass remains half full. No matter our situations, I remain hopeful and believe that the holidays especially are when we can a take hard, deep look within and see ourselves in others -- "what if you were the one fighting Hodgkin's disease and relied on the help of cancer organizations like LLS and its volunteers?" You would be so grateful that there are people out there who fight to end cancer and support those who live with it.

So, I ask you to take YOUR life pause, right now and look within. Can you help make a difference with me and donate whatever you can to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society right now? Your donation is tax-deductible and 73 cents of every dollar goes directly to the mission - to cure cancer and provide support and patient services to those fighting and their families.

As we pause together, it not only gives us reason to be thankful, but also a time to connect with family, friends and each other. I challenge you to pause... connect... and rally others to do the same, for I believe connection is why we are here.

Please make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance LLS's mission. Thanks for your support!