Stop Blood Cancer

October 10, 2008

ONE WEEK LEFT!

I can't believe its almost time!!

I want to let everyone know about a raffle that I am having. I am giving away an awesome package which includes a bike, a new pair of running shoes, a $50 gift certificate to Bistro 41, a manicure and pedicure, hair cut and style, and much much more. If interested, call me 239.989.4374 or visit Run Florida on McGregor.

I want to thank everyone who has supported me during the past 6 months.

My coaches; Angela and Mike (and Bailey). Thank you for the hours of training, for making us do pick ups, for injury counseling, and for always looking behind to make sure we are still running. We wouldn't be getting through the 26.2miles that are ahead without you.

Thanks to my teammates. You have all been amazing to run with and I appreciate your fundraising support. Especially to the NIKE SAN FRAN TEAM...Jill, Danielle, Barb, and Anna!!!

Thank you to everyone who has donated. I cannot tell you how much it means and how encouraging every donation is.

Thank you to everyone who helped organize the 5K, especially Holly, Melanie, Alexis, Carol, and the rec staff at FGCU. And super especially to Mike Jones for everything he does for TNT and the athletes.

Thank you to my family; Mom, Erin, Joe not just for your encouragement during the past 6 mo. but the past 26 years. You have all kept me strong.

Last but certainly not least, thank you Tony. Thank you for waiting for me on those early Saturday mornings (and rallying the Starbucks crew). Thank you for putting up with the crankiness, the endless stretching, the sweat and stink, and the whining about aches and pains and 5am runs. Thank you for all your help during the 5K; for printing 1,000's of registrations and paper cutting till 4am. Thank you for being sooo supportive. I can't tell you how much it means to here your encouragement. Through this entire experience I have learned that I am truly blessed.

GO TEAM!

September 24, 2008

Inititially, I signed up with Team In Training because I wanted to do my part in the fight against cancer. It is an unspeakable disease. Watching my grandmother go through chemotherapy was one of the hardest fights I have ever witnessed. I never want to see another loved one go through that.

As I am going through this experience, specific cases have arisen and I want my run to be personal for them.

Lynn and Myra Dilda are long time family friends. They used to take me exploring in the construction houses in our neighborhood. They just found out that their brother in law has leukemia.

My close friend and teammate Jill Cross and her family. Jill's grandmother just learned that she has cancer.

Finally, I met a little boy the other day and sadly, I did not get his name. He is not even three years old and he has been diagnosed with leukemia. He had just finished his first 30 days of treatment yet still has a long road to recovery. He was so small and helpless yet had to have been so strong to go through such a thing. He brought tears to my eyes. I am so glad to know that part of the money that we are raising will come right back here to Southwest Florida and provide support for him and his family.

August 8, 2008

We are getting close!

Thank you to everyone who helped and participated in the Fly Like an Eagle 5K to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It was a huge success! We had a total of 126 runners and raised a significant amount of money for the cause. As you can see from my thermometer though, I still have a long way to go and I am running short on time. Rmember that 75% of every donation goes directly to blood cancer research and patient services. Please help me in my fight against cancer!

(Quick training update: we ran 18miles on Sunday! I never thought I would ever run 18miles in my life let alone in one day!!!)

Fly Like An Eagle 5K

Join us on August 30th as we fight cancer, one mile at a time!

Members of the FGCU student body and Team in Training are bringing you the Fly Like an Eagle 5K to support The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Race day registration begins at 6:00am at Alico Arena. The race will start at 7:00am with refreshments to follow. Prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third place finishers. We will only have t-shirts for the first 150 participants so register today!

June 13, 2008

SOS

A brief announcement:

We will be running 8-10 mi tomorrow morning, starting at 6am.

If anyone is driving down McGregor tomorrow around that time (although I don't know why anyone in their right mind would be up that early on a Saturday) and sees a runner lying on a side walk somewhere, please stop and pick me up!

May 27, 2008

I hope everyone had a good Memorial Day. Yes, I did run. I learned though, that it is much harder to run by myself than with my training group. I did awesome on my twenty minutes out. Covered a lot of distance. Then I realized I had to get back! Oops, I think I psyched myself out. So that is why we train together. I am starting to realize that 26.2 mi. is a HUGE commitment.

It is very motivating though to receive your donations! It deffinitely keeps us runners on track. I guess we feel like we have even more to run for. So thank you so much again to everyone who has donated!

Not that the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the work that it does isn't a big enough reason, in itself, to run this marathon. Research funded by LLS has not only brought us a lot closer to finding a cure for blood cancers but has also provided great

strides for research in other cancers such as breast and lung. If you would like to read more about LLS and the work that they do go to www.lls.org.

Don't forget that 75% of every donation goes directly to research!!!

May 11, 2008

Happy Mother's Day!

Thank you so much to those of you who are checking out my page, and a HUGE thank you to everyone who has made a donation!! I have started training for the Nike Women's Marathon with Team in Training. Honestly, when I registered for this race I didn't even know how long a marathon was (26.1 mi just in case there is anyone else out there as clueless as I am). I love Team In Training though and have wanted to contribute to their cause for a long time.

Team In Training raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. 75% of funds raised by this charity go directly to blood cancer research, education, and family support. A portion of what the SWFL participants will be raising will go directly to families here in our area. This group is making a difference. The survival rate for leukemia patients under the age of 20 has jumped from 15% to 73% in the past 25 years because of research that has been funded by events like the one I will be participating in.

So, I have been getting in shape, I have done my first 5K (yes only 3 mi, I know) and I am ready to start training for my first marathon. Our training coach, Mike Pemberton is awesome by the way and just hooked me up with the most amazing running shoes. I feel faster just by putting them on!

I am really excited by what I am doing not only because of the money I will be raising but because I really feel like I am committed to a cause. We have all been affected by cancer and its time to find a cure. Every donation helps!