Racing to Save Lives

Hi Everyone,

Thanks to all who have already contributed to my efforts to raise money through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training. For me, this is a personal mission. As a 23-year Hodgkin's disease survivor, I know the difference research dollars can make! When I was diagnosed at 24, I knew I had to tackle my disease and treatments head on and with an arsenal of positive thoughts and support. The relatively high cure rate wasn't enough. After a grueling year of chemo and radiation treatments, I emerged hopeful, though with very little hair, a weary body and a little trepidation about the future. As soon as possible, I began running again and got much of my physical strength back. I will never have the lung power I once had - the 8-min. miles are now 10.5-min. miles! But I live a full life - I married the man who stuck by my side throughout that long year of treatments, I had a great daughter who's now almost 15 and is an academic and soccer star, I changed careers to one I love (I can't imagine doing anything else except teaching and working with the teachers' union!), I run half marathons (the SF Half on 2/7 will be my 5th!), I spend time with my friends and family, I travel when I can afford it, and I just generally live the life that makes me happy.

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society''s Team in Training and it's fundraising efforts did not exist when I was diagnosed. Fortunately, there was a widely-accepted treatment for my type of cancer - I'm living proof of that. However, there are so many blood cancers and lymphomas that do not have a survival rate of 85-90% like Hodgkin's disease. My colleagues and I decided to run this race in honor of one of our beloved school counselors who was diagnosed with a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma just before school started last fall. Judy has been valiantly fighting her disease for months. She's taken steps forward but also steps backward. Our hope is that every step we take to train for this race represents a step forward for Judy and anyone fighting one these cancers. And since there are 27 runners/walkers from Cabrillo Middle School, that's a lot of steps forward! Our group is diverse - novices, seasoned runners, other cancer survivors besides myself - Joyce, Jack and Ha. I am also running to honor the many people in my life who have fought various cancers - some successfully, some not - my mom, my dad, my uncles Larry and Les, my Aunt Karen, my friend Stacey, my friend Tracey, my friend Rabe's dad, my friend Jen's dad, my friend Kathy's mom.

I hope you will donate to my efforts to raise money for TNT. All of us participating in TNT are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. Although the fundraising efforts of this group are geared to these specific cancers, the more TNT raises for those cancers, the more money there will be available from other sources to help find cures for other cancers.

Running is a regular part of my life; I've been at it for 30 years! But the running I'm doing now is different. It's important. It's purposeful. It has to be because it's for more than just myself.

I know economic times are tight. But I hope you will find a way to dig deep and donate to this worthy cause. I'm honored to be able to do something I love to raise money for an organization that has helped me and others become survivors. But there are thousands of people out there battling these cancers who still need your support. Please make a donation to support TNT and get them to the ultimate finish line - a cure!

Thank you,

Tracy Pope