Thanks to everyone who helped me cross the finish line! It was fun, emotinal, tough, but proudly did my best...2 hours 12 minutes!!!

I made it through the race and it was with your help. I thought about Emily everystep in the race, and though about my family and friends who are strong fighters. The young-Emily, Jasmin, James.

And for the ones who never had a chance-my aunt, my uncles,...Angelica Garza, Ezequiel Garza, Fra. Javier Garza, Lupe Salazar..

....And for all of my friends that I know and did not list ....

I raised/raced for you in hope to end cancer....

YOU ARE BRAVE,YOU ARE STRONG!!!

I couldn't of done it without my husband, my son, and my girl EMILY !!!

THANKS FROM THE PENA FAMILY

I am very thankful to all of you that have helped me meet my goal. It's been about 2 months that I joined LLS and began raising funds. What an amazing experience its been. I cannot explain the gratitude that I feel.My most sincere thanks to all of you making this possible.

For those of you considering donating, its never too late. Please help me in the effort of ending blood cancers. Remember the more funds raised, the greater the possibility for research. Please help me spread the word around to friends and families...every dollar helps!

Emily is doing wonderful. She is enjoying school, and has adjusted well to her new routine at home. She has had a few weeks of low blood counts, but nothing unexpected. In the next few days, Emily will be in the maintanance stage. During that time she will be on many more oral medications, but there will be many less office visits and should have more normal blood counts. Emily will remain in chemotherapy for the next twenty months or so. Please continue to pray for her.

A care page for her is in progress.Here is the link to learn more:

http://www.carepages.com/carepages/EmilySPena2010

As for training, its been great. Although I have not been able to join my team, I've been sweating a ton at home. I've been doing 6 miles on Sunday mornings, and doing 30-40 minutes of running during the week.

IT IS HOT! I cant wait for the next "cold front" to arrive. Some days are easier than others , but I focus on the reason of my training, and it helps me to keep going-... Emily, and many others go through much more than blisters and sores, the least I can do is run.

Like Emily, I Just smile and keep going!!!

Welcome to Orfelinda's Team In Training home page... Racing together to save Lives...

I'm training to participate in the Chevron Houston Marathon & Aramco Houston Half Marathon on Jan. 2011 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 my daughter Emily and all individuals who are battling blood cancers.This is Emily...

On march 12, 2010, at age five, she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia(ALL); a cancer in the white blood cell which affects the immune system. The news was devastating and overwhelming, and adjusting to a different way of life has been a challange at home-But it is Emily who has already gone through so much more than many of us could ever imagine going through in our entire lives.

Emily is a student at Massey Ranch Elementary in Pearland,Tx and a member at St. Helen Catholic Church.She is a patient at Texas Childrens Cancer Center and is halfway through one of the toughest stages of her therapy-she's very excited and can't wait to join the crowds out there.

Here are a few things she plans on doing as soon as her blood counts are up: go to church, go to movies, go shopping, go to school -to see her friends-, go to the beach, have fun in the sun, take a trip,visit family and friends...and do many other things she has been restricted from.

"WHY DO WE GET CANCER"?

Emily asks.

Unfortunately, it is unknow, and this is why I was motivated and join LLS-to learn if it can be prevented and/or achieve a 100% cure rate.Because I have witnesses what cancer does, and what therapy involves- no one should have to go through so much pain.

She is so brave, so strong, she is a true warrior.Individuals like her are the real heroes, and are the true warriors on our team, but we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!

Please make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance LLS's mission. No amount is too small...Please help me with any donation. Let's make a differance.

I hope you will visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress and update on Emily.

Thanks for your support!

Orfelinda Pena