Thank you so much for your contribution to me and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I have reached my goal of $3,200 and am concentrating on the physical part of my training.

You can be certain that your contribution is directly helping to find a cure for leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and Hodgkin’s disease-and is improving the quality of life of patients and their families.

This go-round, I will also be earing the Team in Training Triple Crown honor. When you complete a marathon, century cycle ride (a 100 mile ride) & triathlon with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training and you earn your triple crown and become a member of an elite group of athletes that is leading the way to a cure for blood cancers.

The outpouring of support through letters, notes, and comments has been truly inspirational. On September 12, 2010, I will be doing my first Olympic Triathlon. This Olympic Distance triathlon, sanctioned by the USAT, includes a 1.5k swim in the Potomac River, 40k bike course through DC, and a 10k run through Washington, DC’s historical landmarks with a spectacular finish!

During the race, I’ll be carrying a list of every person who has contributed to this campaign and will cross the finish line in Washington DC on your behalf.

Thank you once again. I’ll be in touch again after I return from the race. In the meantime, your support and encouragement are always appreciated.

You can learn more about my efforts and continue your support of LLS by visiting my web site:

http://pages.teamintraining.org/sfl/nattri10/jclayton

All the best,

Jackye Clayton

954 600 1873

jackyeclayton@gmail.com

www.teamintraining.org

When I got the news that my aunt had died from her battle with leukemia all I could do was cry. I had just been training for my first TNT event and had spent months saying I knew no one with leukemia or lymphoma or myeloma and I was just doing it to try.

It was weird.

Because I know intellectually that denial is one of the early stages of grief. But being in denial is well, being in denial.

The thing is, she should have lived. She survived breast cancer. She survived a severe brain injury. Her son just got married. She had just welcomed her first grandchild. She should have lived and I’m so angry that she didn’t.

Then, I learn of Christy Monono a beautiful young women who passed from a blood cancer (also pictured above.

Perhaps you know someone who should have lived. Hopefully, you also know a survivor. It's almost impossible in this day and age to not be personally affected by blood cancers.

So, like many before me and along side of me, I've decided to fight back. And I need your help. I joined The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training® for the 6th time. . . it's the world's largest endurance sports training program. I will be training for an Olympic triathlon – Nations Tri – Swimming 1 mile in the Potomac, riding my bike 25 miles and running 6 miles through Washington DC’s famous monuments.

For the price of one of the cheaper lame, iPod cases you can provide patients with free booklets to help them make informed decisions about their treatment options.

For the price of 3 martinis at whatever the new Vodka is called (I can never remember) you can fund a family support group session with a trained facilitator.

For the price of a sushi dinner you can fund TEN Kaiser visit co-pays!

For the price of a haircut & color you can pay for parking for six weeks of daily radiation treatments at UCLA/Children's Hospital.

Wait. Let me think about that . . . Six weeks of daily radiation treatments at Children's Hospital. . . . That's a real family driving in their car . . . and parking that car . . . day after day, for six weeks. In order to get treatment for someone they love. Treatment they didn't want to have to need. Treatment that will hopefully lead to good health.

The triathlon seems so small when I think about it that way.