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June 23, 2004
Team in Training
I haven't posted in a while. Work has been keeping me very busy with a new job title and description. However, the most significant activity that is keeping me busy and will keep me busy for a while is a fundraising project. I am raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). I have sent out about 100 letters to friends and relatives in an effort to raise $5,000 for LLS. As a reward, they are giving me personalized training as I train to run in the Dublin Marathon in Dublin Ireland. I am greatly enjoying it. I have never had a coach or team mates to run with. Since I am already somewhat in shape, I can focus my training more on speed than just mileage. Here are some excerpts from the letter I sent:
"I hope everything is going well with you and with those close to you. I trust your health is such as to give you an enjoyable and activity-filled summer! Our good health is something that many of us just assume we will always have. Unfortunately, there are many people around us who are not blessed with good health. For them, this summer will be a painful battle filled with agonizing experienced. I am speaking of the leading cause of disease-related death among children under the age of 15. I am speaking of the 670,000 Americans who are currently suffering from leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin�s disease and myeloma, also known as the blood cancers. This year, about 106,000 Americans will be diagnosed with these diseases (an average of one every five minutes), and another 58,000 will die (one every nine minutes). I�m sure you can think of several friends or relatives who have been affected, either directly or indirectly, by these terrible diseases.
"It is for these reasons that this summer I am using my good health to raise awareness of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), whose mission is to �cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin�s disease and myeloma and to improve the quality of life for patients and their families.� Last year, LLS invested over $40 million in research of the blood cancers. In addition to research, LLS invests in the lives of patients and in public and professional education about these cancers. Founded in 1947, LLS is the largest voluntary health organization dedicated to these tasks. Since its inception their efforts have been rewarded: survival rates have greatly increased! For instance, in 1960, only 6% survived myeloma, 30% survived Hodgkin lymphoma, and 10% survived leukemia. Today, those numbers have increased to 31.5%, 84.1%, and 46.3% respectively as a result of treatments like chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation. These treatments were made possible through research that was funded greatly by LLS. Accepting no government funding, LLS relies on the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations to continue its work.
"That's where I come in. I am participating in their 'Team in Training' (TNT), a program that brings runners, walkers, triathletes, and cyclists together to raise funds for LLS. As you may know, I ran my first marathon last Thanksgiving in Atlanta. I have wanted to train for another one, and TNT is just the motivation to get me moving. My target marathon is the Dublin City Marathon in Dublin, Ireland. More importantly, my personal fundraising goal is $5,000. In order to reach that goal, I am writing as many friends and family as I can think of who I think would be interested in contributing. All contributions, of course, are tax-deductible, and a full 75% of all contributions goes directly to realize the mission of LLS (only 25% covers all administrative expenses)."
I would certainly appreciate any support that anyone out there who reads my blog might give. Please visit my official TNT website to track my progress and to make a contribution by credit card. I would also love to hear of anybody you might know who has been affected by one of these diseases so that I can run in his or her support / memory. I am compiling a list so that I can put them on my race day shirt.
Posted by jhyink at 09:10 PM | Comments (0)