How Much is Left?

I’ve mentioned before that I’m running a marathon (the whole dad gum thing!) with Team in Training to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. One thing that can’t be stressed enough about the research funds that will benefit from my efforts is that they ultimately support treatments for a spectrum of other illnesses. Therapies that were developed for blood cancers have helped patients with many other cancers as well. And, have you noticed? Cancer is everywhere. We need research funding to put an end to it! We all benefit from the work that LLS is doing.

Having a cancer diagnosis hit so close to home has left me with, not only grief, but a general skittish feeling. Will it come for me? My husband? My kids?

Even if I never have a personal encounter with cancer again, it’s left its mark. This is my little girl Emma Kate with her “Papa Bear.” Sweet, right? She loved my daddy and I was so looking forward to her discovery of all the things that made him a great man–besides the fact that he would hold her in his lap while she ate her Cheerios. One of my biggest regrets is that my girls didn’t get to see him one last time before he died. This picture was taken at the zoo the last time that Emma Kate got to visit with my dad. She was 2 1/2. After that trip, she never saw him again. We didn’t know it when this picture was taken, but he was already sick.

If someone had told me five years ago that I would one day run a marathon, I would have laughed them out of the room. Things as drastic as this have a way of changing you. I once was a woman who ran to support my food habit. Today, I’m running to show my resolve–so patients don’t have to measure time in terms of how much is left.

Here’s something exciting for me, though. As I write this, My Fundraising Page is showing that I’m 28% of the way to my goal. It’s actually 30%! I have a check that I got in the mail that isn’t included yet. How much is left? Just 70% but let’s just shoot for the moon and maybe we’ll be looking at 200% by the time October rolls around. Click the link above or to the right to make a contribution. I’m so grateful to everyone who has donated. Thank you!!