The Official Announcement

Dear Family and Friends,

I’m writing today to let you know about an important decision I recently made. As you know, softball is one of my passions but I’m giving it up for the spring season so I can run a marathon and raise money for a worthwhile cause. I have decided to run in the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon on June 3. Running a marathon is something I have thought about doing for a long time and I decided that 2007 would be the year I make that dream a reality. The idea of running 26.2 miles seemed very daunting to me and I was worried that if I trained on my own I might not follow through, or get frustrated and quit before the big event. Then I received a flyer in the mail from Team in Training and I found the answer to my concerns.

Team in Training works with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to raise funds for blood cancer research. They are dedicated to curing leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, and myeloma and improving the lives of patients and their families. The Society has raised over $360 million for blood cancer research. Research funded by the Society has led or contributed to advances such as chemotherapy, bone marrow and stem cell transplantation and new, targeted oral therapies such as Gleevec®.

In exchange for fundraising the Society will help me train for the race and provide coaching and medical guidance. More importantly, I will be running in honor of some very special people, our team honorees, who either are in remission or being treated for a blood cancer, or who lost their battle to this disease. These are the people who inspire me to run. Taking on the challenge of running 26 miles seems so trivial compared to what our honorees have been through.

Your support in my cause would be greatly appreciated. My goal is to raise a minimum of $3000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. At least 75% of your contribution goes directly towards research and patient programs. Donations are 100% tax deductible. No donation is too small, and every little bit helps get us that much closer to a cure. And of course, moral support is also encouraged and welcome!

To donate, please visit my Team In Training website to make an online contribution.

I hope that you will visit my website and this blog often. I will update it with photos and news of my progress throughout the course of my training.

Finally, if someone you know has been afflicted with a blood-related cancer I would love to run in their honor! Please let me know their names and I will be sure to add them to my jersey for the day of the big race.

Please feel free to forward this information to your friends, family, business, etc. The more people who support this worthwhile cause, the more money we’re able to raise to help fight cancer.

Thank you very much for your support!