Let The Madness Begin...

Racing to Save Lives

Let the madness begin!

I'm training to run my first ever marathon. It's the Shamrock Marathon on March 22, 2009, in Virginia Beach VA, and I will be running as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training. All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop blood cancers (leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma) from taking more lives.

A minimum of 75% of the funds raised by Team In Training participants will go toward advancing the LLS's mission. The remaining 25% will go toward supporting the Team In Training participants to meet their training, racing and fundraising goals.

Work of the LLS includes: advocacy for government research, funding and public policy to benefit patients and their families; support for researchers; support programs for patients and their families, and assistance to help meet the costs of treatment; community education and information programs; and education for health professions on advances in diagnosis and treatment.

Why Am I Doing This?

If there is progress made in research for any cancer it will help all cancer research.

I am completing this event in honour of all individuals around the globe who are battling leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. I am completing this event in honour of individuals who are battling cancers of any kind.

I am completing this event in honour of my friend Bonnie, who has won her battle with lymphoma.

I am completing this event in honour of my Grammy who continues to suffer the after-effects of the treatments she underwent for cancer years ago. I am completing this event in honour of my mother-in-law Gilma who continues, against all odds and to the amazement of her doctors, to fight pancreatic cancer. I am completing this event in honour of my friend Jane who overcame skin cancer. I am completing this event in honour of my father’s best friend Brian who is fighting prostate cancer.

And I am completing this event in memory of my Nan who died of breast cancer, my cousin Amy who died of brain cancer, and my good friend Grandma Dolly who also died of breast cancer.

These people are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - finding a cure for cancer!

How Can You Contribute?

Your contributions are 100% tax deductible. Tax ID#13-5644916. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will send you a receipt.

You can donate online by using the “donate now” button on the left hand side of my Team In Training fundraising page.

Or if you'd prefer to write a cheque, e-mail me or leave me a message here and I will send you my mailing address. Make cheques payable to: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

If your company (or employer) has a charity donation matching policy, let me know and I'll send you easy instruction on how to have your company match your donation.

And if you know anyone who might want to donate, please don't hesitate to send the link to this web page around to family, friends and colleagues.

Platitudes of Gratitudes...

Finally, thank you. Thanks if you contribute -- you're making an investment in fighting this heartbreaking disease. And thanks if you follow along -- I'm glad to have you with me. Your generosity, support and friendship will not only help get me to the finish line but, more importantly, you will help to accelerate cures for leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma and other cancers, and bring increased hope to the patients and families who are on the front lines of the battle against these diseases.

I hope you will visit this blog often. I will be posting frequent "progress" reports... could be amusing, possibly inspirational (at least for me!), very likely humbling, and always all about me. You'll love it. Our first group training run will be on Saturday.

Thanks for your support!

Megan

Remember, no donation is too small & for a donation of $100 or more, I will take a picture in my running gear any where you want (in the DC area during training or in Virginia Beach on race day), send it to you and post it here! Think of the possibilities!