A HUGE THANK YOU to all of my supporters for your generous donations and encouragement as I trained for the Queen Bee half marathon! I crossed the finish line, set a huge personal record, and raised over $6,500 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, a win-win-win! The money I raised will go to fund life-saving reseach and provide patient support; very soon, "Someday will be Today"!
GO TEAM!!
I'm training for the Queen Bee half marathon (13.1 miles!) on October 11, 2014 through the Team in Training (TNT) program and will be fundraising for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) along the way. This is a cause close to my heart because I'm a leukemia survivor, but also because the list of people in my circle of family and friends that have been affected by cancer is too long! I want to see cancer cured in my lifetime and am taking strides (literally) to help make that happen. A donation to LLS helps provide funding for lifesaving research that will help cure blood cancers and many other cancers.
I'm a leukemia survivor and wouldn't be here without the research funded by the LLS and the support provided to me during and after my treatment. I’ve been involved with LLS in several ways since my diagnosis in 2005; I've been an honored hero for the TNT program, have participated in a full and half marathon through the TNT program, and most recently became involved with the Man & Woman of the Year (MWOY) campaign through committee membership and was the Woman of the Year honored hero for the 2014 campaign. The video below was featured at the grand finale gala held on May 30 and also features Spencer Wade, the Man of the Year honored hero. As part of the campaign, I'll be featured on a billboard in Cincinnati in a few weeks (I'm accepting autograph requests in exchange for donations, ha!).
I was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) on July 5, 2005, at the age of 26, after a routine adenoidectomy to understand why my nasal passages were blocked and the lymph nodes throughout my body were enlarged. I’d been through months of testing with no conclusive causes identified and surgery was a last resort. I went under anesthesia with the understanding that there was a slight (1%) chance that cancerous cells were to blame; and awoke to my Mom telling me that I had cancer. I had no other symptoms; I was young, single, and lived six hours away from my immediate family. I celebrated eight years of remission in May, but my fight is far from over and the money I raise will help to make a world without cancer a hopeful reality. I’ve posted some quick facts about my disease and treatment below:
But wait … it’s not all gloom and doom! I’m ALIVE! I have an AMAZING perspective on life, and my life was FOREVER changed, in a good way, because of cancer. Here’s why:
I celebrated EIGHT GREAT years in remission on May 15 and ran a 5K with TNT's Moms in Training group to celebrate, but that was just my warm-up! The last half marathon I ran was the week I found out I was pregnant with my oldest daughter and I spent the next 3 1/2 years pregnant or nursing. Now that my girls are finally spreading their wings a bit, it's time to get back to training and fundraising for a cure; and this time I've recruited a few other ladies to join me; two of my neighbors have joined the cause and we're Moms on a Mission!
Will you help by donating? I've set a lofty goal well above my fundraising minimum because I know I have an amazing group of supporters ... any donation, no matter the size, is appreciated! And, if you can’t donate money, I’m also accepting kind words and encouragement as I train for the half marathon I'll run on October 11.
* sharing my story with the crowd of 600 this past May as the Woman of the Year honored hero for the 2014 LLS Tri-state chapter's Man and Woman of the Year campaign *
* March 2006 with my oncology team, Nurse Liz and Doctor Komrojki *
* After the Flying Pig half marathon in 2009, just a few weeks before our wedding *
* Our family - Anna Elizabeth (3) and Charlotte Rose (1) *
Melissa Wasson | $250.00 |
Jennifer and Jonatha... | $250.00 |
Dorothy Jarboe | $200.00 |
Tim and Joann Thrond... | $200.00 |
Jennifer M Kelly | $200.00 |
Katie Gallego | $150.00 |
Paul McWilliams | $100.00 |
Keith Given | $100.00 |
John and Wanda Mille... | $100.00 |
Judy McWilliams | $100.00 |
Sarah & Kurt Cam... | $100.00 |
John & Andrea Mo... | $100.00 |
Dave & Lisa Scha... | $100.00 |
Steve & Lynn kuk... | $100.00 |
Huy Dinh | $100.00 |
Daniel Staley | $100.00 |
Thomas Brown | $100.00 |
Laura Dixon | $100.00 |
Amy Nowling | $100.00 |
Greg Stanley | $100.00 |
Amber Scott | $100.00 |
Maureen Walh | $100.00 |
Bob & Terry Mill... | $100.00 |
Curtis Rodebush | $100.00 |
Robin Voigt | $100.00 |
Mike and Linda Kelly... | $100.00 |
Heather Chambers | $100.00 |
Patricia Miller | $100.00 |
Wendi Stockstill | $50.00 |
Brian Kelly | $50.00 |
Heather Bell | $50.00 |
Meg Wilson | $50.00 |
Laurie Bryant | $50.00 |
Sarajane Doty | $50.00 |
Ryan, Molly & Lo... | $50.00 |
Nikki Boehmker | $50.00 |
Lee Cassiere | $50.00 |
Gregory Rosko | $50.00 |
Matthew Hudale | $50.00 |
Keith Arnold | $50.00 |
Ryan McEvoy | $50.00 |
Alison Frederick Lou... | $50.00 |
Kristin Slaton | $50.00 |
Jennifer M Kelly | $50.00 |
M J Stotz | $40.00 |
Patricia Pike Matthi... | $25.00 |
mary ann ramsey | $25.00 |
Brian Perry | $25.00 |
Chris Umbach | $25.00 |
Ellen & Tim Knol... | $25.00 |
Holly Schmidt | $25.00 |
Betty J. McWilliams | $20.00 |
Heather Wall | $10.00 |
Emily Donohue | $10.00 |
April Ramsey | |
Sue McPartlin | |
Kathleen Meade | |
Emily Hanson | |
Kara Wells | |
Jeff, Christina &... | |
Humberto Gonzalez | |
Madonna Minion | |
Josh and Carolyn Bro... | |
Don Bush | |
Jill Meek | |
Melissa Michalke | |
Beth Olson | |
Sarah Bartlett | |
Meg Toner Wilson | |
Amy and Bryan Boynto... | |
Pamela Pompelia | |
Shannon Anderson | |
George Michalke | |
JOE AND GINNY | |
Philip Deskins | |
Alecia Pace | |
Great Aunt Peryda | |
katie fish |
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The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) is a global leader in the fight against cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is a 501(c)(3) organization, and all monetary donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by tax laws. Please check with your financial advisor if you have more questions.