I'll be hosting a fundraiser at Isley Brewing Company next Thursday (March 23) - come party with us and raise money for LLS! I can't believe the Nashville half marathon is just a little over a month away! Isley is one of my favorite places, so I'm really excited to be able to hold a fundraiser there for something so important to me. And it's something to take my mind off of having to run 13.1 miles in a few weeks....

I can't believe there are only 12 weeks until the Rock n Roll Nashville 1/2 Marathon! I'm so excited (ok, and a little freaked out!) about my first half marathon - especially since I love Nashville!

In the spirit of World Cancer Day, established to raise awareness about cancer and encourage research and development of treatments and prevention, I wanted to share some information about blood cancer (all information can be found on the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society website). Did you know:

Every 3 minutes, someone in the US is diagnosed with a blood cancer. Chances are, you know someone who has been affected by blood cancer in some way.

More than a third of blood cancer patients don't survive five years after their diagnosis. My dad survived almost two years after his DLBCL diagnosis, but almost 12 after his diagnosis with Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia (or lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma). Had he been diagnosed even a few years before, he may not have had access to treatment with rituximab, but instead had 10 symptom free years before being diagnosed with DLBCL.

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society not only invests in blood cancer research; they also provide patient support and make treatment accessible to patients who may have financial barriers, making some very expensive treatments an option when they otherwise wouldn't be.

With the help of funds raised through programs like Team in Training, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has invested over $1 billion into blood cancer research. With the help of some amazing, generous people (you may have been one of them!), I raised $2000 in 2016, and hope to raise $3500 this year to help LLS make this investment into finding cures for cancer. It seems like a tiny drop in the bucket, but it's awesome to be part of something that makes such a huge difference in peoples' lives.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to visit and read my page. It's because of people like you that LLS can be so successful and change the lives of so many people. If you feel inclined and are able, please consider making a donation through my page to LLS, and you can be a part of funding research that saves lives, assisting patients who can't afford treatment, or providing emotional support and education to blood cancer patients and families.

I miss you Dad!

Cancer sucks - we all know that. It's easy to focus on everything negative about a cancer diagnosis of yourself or a loved one, but today is definitely a time to celebrate! Last March, my dear friend/childhood partner in crime/basically sister Kari was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma. After going through treatment with AVD at MD Anderson Hospital in Houston, TX, follow up PET scans showed some questionable areas. Yesterday she received news that her most recent PET was completely clear and she can now officially use the word so many patients and families hope to hear - REMISSION! Congratulations to you Kari, I'm so excited to be able to share this news and I can't wait to come down to Houston and celebrate! (I guess I'll also have to run a bit since it'll only be a few weeks before the Nashville half!)

Please consider donating to LLS through my fundraising page so you can be a part of helping researchers improve current cancer treatments and develop cures for blood cancers like Kari's!

Kari after receiving her incredible news!

Me and Kari at my wedding in 2012 

Visiting Kari in Houston in May 2016 - you can't tell from this picture because Kari was a cancer warrior and is seriously one of the strongest people I know, but she was in the midst of her treatments when this picture was taken!

Since this is my first holiday season without my dad, it's definitely hard to get into the Christmas spirit this year. I don't even feel like it's real, and still can't really accept that we won't be going up to Culpeper for eggnog or Christmas dinner, but it helps knowing I'm working toward a goal that will help families have more Christmases with their loved ones. Approximately every 3 minutes, someone in the US is told they have blood cancer. Treatments are improving and survival rates are increasing, but none of that can happen without research funding. Working in the pharmaceutical industry, I know how expensive everything can be, so it's an incredibly rewarding experience being able to contribute even a small amount to help researchers find a cure or a treatment with less severe side effects.

This holiday season, I'll be focusing on training and getting back into the swing of things. I feel like time stood still for the months before Dad lost his battle in November, and any sort of physical activity was the furthest thing from my mind. Until starting my training plan for the Nashville Half, I had taken a lot of time off of running but I'm excited to start working with a trainer at my gym in addition to training with my Team! My personal goal is to get over the $1500 mark by the end of January - can you help? Please consider sharing my page with your friends, coworkers, neighbors...even random people you went to high school with who you happen to be Facebook friends with even though you haven't talked in years

Thank you all for helping me reach my goal, and for supporting me with donations, sharing my page, and giving me words of encouragement. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!      

Losing a parent is something I can't even begin to describe. Feeling lost and in shock makes it difficult to go about everyday tasks that used to be easy "before," and I am so thankful to have a goal to focus on to help get me through those days that end up being tougher than others. One of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had is participating in the GWP Classic 10 Miler earlier this year and raising money for LLS along the way, and I'm so fortunate to have the opportunity to do the same thing again - but with a larger goal this time! If you're looking for a way to help someone on Giving Tuesday, please join me in raising money for cancer research and help me change someone's life. If you can't donate, share my link with your friends and family. Thank all of you so much for your support!