Racing to Save Lives

When I reflect on the ways that cancer has impacted my life, I become weary with the number of stories I can tell. I lost my sister Sherri (in the picture) to cancer when she was 43. Shortly after that, my mother started her fight, which continues today, eight years later. Then it was Linda, the first friend I made when I moved to Colorado - she died in 2007, and the stories continue. Beth, Sharon, Max, Denni, Bjarne, ..., the list goes on and on.

I suspect the same might be the case for you. Maybe someone in your circle of friends and family, or maybe even you have had or are having your battle with cancer. It's actualy likely, because the hard facts are that 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will develop cancer in their lifetimes. The good news is rates of cancer incidence have declined in the last ten years as a direct result of earlier detection, better treatment, and improved care that was ultimately made possible because of ongoing research.

As part of my efforts to raise money for cancer research, I am taking on a half-ironman challenge; it includes 1.2 miles of open-water swimming, 56 miles of cycling, followed by a 13.1 mile run. It's a serious challenge, but one I get to choose freely. I've never done anything like it, and, frankly, it's a bit frightening. I never swam a lap in the pool before I registered for the challenge, and I only recently bought a road bike. But when I think about those in my life affected by cancer, a half-ironman seems a lot easier to face.

Please help me honor those in my life and those in yours who have found or currently find themselves in this fight. I think of them when I'm training, my mother, my sister, and my close friends and colleagues - they inspire me. For me, raising money and training is a choice, while the people I am dedicating my race to find themselves in this fight without having a choice.

Please help me make a difference, and help me reach my fundraising goal of $25,000 so that we can continue to make progress in our fight against cancer.

I hope you will visit this web site often to check my progress, and I hope you will tell others about it so they can participate too. Thanks for your support!