WE ARE IN A RECESSION BUT CANCER IS NOT!

Hello to all my wonderful friends and family,

I cannot thank you enough for all of your wonderful positive energy and your donations to help me meet my goal. What I know for sure, my parents are smiling down upon us all as we all contribute to helping an amazing cause.

On Oct 25th 2010, my big day: Running 26.2 miles in honor of my parents, and all who have lost their lives to cancer: check out this link to watch the count down:

http://dublinmarathon.ie/

It's hard to believe my parents left us 10 years ago, my mother on Oct 16th and my father April 15th, yes, 1 day shy of 6 months. It was the hardest year of my life. I feel so blessed to have the parents that I had. For one, taking us out of the troubles of Ireland in 1972 and making a life for us here in America. I owe alot of who I am to them, their spirit, determination, independence, a positive outlook on life.

The challenge of the Adidas Dublin Ireland, Marathon. Yes, 26.2 miles, will be nothing compared to watching my mother battle for 3 years and watching her slip away after an amazing fight with cancer. I remember watching my father see the love of his life, pass before his eyes, a memory I will never shake. Each mile, I will remember something special about them... One mile at a time, I will grieve their loss, and relish in the land that I was born in.

I look forward to my trip back to my homeland, with my dear husband Steve and our wonderful boys. Together as a family we will meet up with my Uncle Patrick (Uncle Paddy) and his children, my dear cousins. Seeing my relatives there, and embracing their support will only add to this amazing adventure. To my relatives in Sydney Australia, who won't be there, but gave amazing donations on my behalf, we will think of you as we are in Ireland, after the race, with a "SLAINTE" TO YOU.

I feel so blessed to be a part of all of this, I am bursting with joy.

I look forward to meeting the virual " TEAM IN TRAINING " who along side of me will raise vital funds for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. One mile at a time we will provide vital funds to cure these blood cancers and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

I have a large fundraising goal of $3700. I MADE MY GOAL ON OCT 4TH 2010, I could never have done it without your support!...... Did you know, an estimated 912,938 people in the united states are living with, or are in remission from, leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma, non hodgkin lymphoma or myeloma? Every 4 minutes, someone new is diagnosed with blood cancer and every 10 minutes someone dies. To put it in perspective, Did you know that every 2 1/2 weeks, we lose the same number of loved ones to Leukemia and other blood-borne diseases, as we did in the Sept 11th attacks. That is the equivalent of 21 World Trade Center disasters each year.

I'm on the final long runs of my training..tapering my runs starts now....If you wish to continue donationing.. it's a tax write off for an amazing cause!

Megan is a 5 year old, living here in Winslow Maine, battling, Pre B-Cell Lymphoma.. The funds raised help vital research in helping the little Megan's of the world.

Feel free to donate here... or by mailing checks to

190 East Grand Ave #9

Old Orchard Beach Maine 04064

Please donate now... I can't do it without you!!!

Warmly,

Pauline P Hodge, RN BSN

Dublin Ireland Marathon, 2010, Team in Training

Maine... Ireland... success!!!