The other Saturday, I was honored to be able to share the story and some pictures of 15 year old Joey Norris. Who is Joey? He's not my friend or a family member - he doesn't even live in the same town that we do. He and his family live entirely across the country from Alaska!

So how did I hear about him? Joey is the nephew of a co-worker who happened to walk in to my office last summer when I was showing off my San Diego Rock & Roll 1/2 Marathon medal. I mentioned that my husband and I fundraise for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and she did a double take and told me that her nephew has leukemia - which caused me to do a double take. What a small world! You never know where the connection to a blood cancer lies.

Here's a picture of Joey "Tebowing while chemoing."

That is why funding research is so crucial. There are no screening or early detection tests that can be done for blood cancers, so LLS is focused on finding cures. I often tell people they might never meet the individuals they are helping, and they might not truly know how far their reach extends into the world - but it does extend and it does help, and someday there will be a cure.

So here we were on a snowy day, dedicating our Saturday run to a young man in Maryland who we may never meet. But he's now a part of our team's history, in our hearts and minds as we train and fundraise to find a cure. Hi from Alaska! This one was for you Joe!

If it only took a couple of minutes from your day to help save a life...

would you take the time?

My husband and I have a mission. Like the other members of Team in Training, we will be raising funds to help find cures and better treatments for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma. We're improving the quality of our lives by participating in endurance events and with your support, we can help improve the quality of life for patients and their families as well.

We will be completing the Mayor's 1/2 Marathon in Anchorage in June and the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco in October in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancers, in honor of my Grandma Shamway and my coworker, Sandi, and in memory of Matt's Aunt Marianna Knorr and Uncle Dell Davidson, and our girlfriend's father Don Counsell.

Please make a donation in support of our efforts with Team In Training and help advance the research for cures. All donations are 100% TAX DEDUCTIBLE and no donation is too small. You can make a secure donation by clicking on the DONATE NOW button on the right hand side.

Thanks so much for your support!

Here we are at the start of the 2012 Dublin Marathon.

We’ve got our first marathon together under our belts, and we’re on to #2! This year my husband and I are running in the Nike Women's Marathon on October 20, 2013. As part of our goal in completing the marathon we've joined The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training for another season. We're not only training to complete a 26.2 mile race, more importantly we're also fundraising to help stop blood cancers from taking more lives!

There are so many great things that encompass being with this organization – wonderful training partners and coaches, courageous blood cancer survivors who provide selfless encouragement, unbelievable strength, and inspiration, and the sense of being part of something greater than ourselves. Each story I hear inspires me to push myself a little bit further. There are so many wonderful friends and family members in my life who have supported me in countless ways, and I look at this as just one small way to pay it forward!!

Please make a donation in support of our efforts with Team In Training and help advance the research for cures. No donation is too small.

Did you know that every 4 minutes a person in the United States is diagnosed with blood cancer?

You can truly make a difference in someone's life with the click of a button!

It only takes a minute or two to donate, but the impact could mean a lifetime to someone.

Some things to consider:

• Your contribution would make a great gift to others! Just let us know if you are making a donation in lieu of a gift to family/friends and we’ll send out a special Thank You to those folks, letting them know that you have made a contribution to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in their name!

• If there’s a special someone in your life that we can help celebrate by running in their honor or memory, just let me know. It’d be a privilege to add their name or picture to my race day jersey!

• Your contribution is 100% tax deductible and will promote continuous research, patient assistance, support systems and ultimately help fund a cure for blood cancer. Your employer might also match your gift!!

Please share this website link on your Facebook page, and with your family and friends, and remember, the life you help to save could be your own.

Thanks for your generosity! Check back frequently to see our fundraising progress.

* If you would like, you can also mail a check payable to LLS to my address below:

Beth Knorr, PO BOX 210069, Anchorage AK, 99521