On January 9, 2005, in Phoenix, AZ, I'm going to run 26.2 miles! I've joined Team In Training, a program run by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). Team In Training is a group of energetic people who are committed to improving their health, training for endurance events, supporting each other, and raising money for medical research. I'm very glad to be part of this team. I have made a commitment to train for five months (view my training progress), to raise money for LLS, and to finish the Rock 'n Roll Arizona Marathon. My goal is to raise $4000 and finish the race in three and a half hours.

LLS's goal is "To cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families." Leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, and myeloma are cancers that interfere with the production of blood cells. This year, about 100,000 Americans will contract one of these diseases, and about 60,000 will die. But there is also good news. Researchers are making progress. New treatments have helped many patients stay alive and healthy. 25 years ago, only 5% of children with leukemia survived. Now it is 73%.

The Honored Teammate program helps keep Team In Training members connected to the cause, reminding us of both the good news and the work that still needs to be done. An Honored Teammate is a local person who has personal experience with a blood-related cancer.

Lise Rasmussen-Wright is a retired landscape architect, married with three grown children. She was a marathoner and triathlete before she was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia four years ago. She is undergoing several treatments, including some new experimental ones. These treatments keep her alive, but they are very hard on her. She no longer has the endurance for distance running, but most of the time she is able do normal daily activities, keep herself fit, and maintain a positive attitude.

Stacey Greenaway is another Honored Teammate, who was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia five years ago at the age of 20. After four months of intense chemotherapy, she was cured. Since then, she has run two marathons with Team In Training, and now she's training with us for Rock 'n Roll Arizona.

So with Lise and Stacey in mind, I'm asking you to give to LLS. Your donation is tax-deductible. At least 75% will be spent on medical research and patient services. I gratefully welcome donations of any size. There's a lot of work to be done. We need more effective cures. We need treatments that don't have debilitating side effects. We need to discover the cause of leukemia, and learn how to prevent it. Please help.

Thanks,
David Wasserman