Running or biking or swimming in the rain hardly qualifies as my favorite activity. And in Seattle, getting up to exercise often feels like the advertisement for Nike's "Enjoy the Weather" campaign. But as I run through the streets of my neighborhood, I recall how I first heard about this area from my best friend's family. In September of 1996, they traveled to Seattle for Sara to receive a bone marrow transplant at the Fred Hutchinson Center.

In Sara's memory, I joined The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in a national fundraising program called "Team in Training." Last year, I ran the Anchorage Marathon with the Team in Training program. It was such an amazing and inspiring experience that I found myself signing up for the program again this year, though this time for a triathlon!

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training program is the largest endurance sport training program in the United States. Through the program, I will have the support of coaches and mentors to encourage me along the way. More importantly, though, the Team in Training program will raise over $84 million nationwide for research and patient services in 2003. On August 24, 2003, I will do Mrs. T's Triathlon in Chicago to support their fund raising efforts.

For me, doing this triathlon is both a celebration of health and an amazing opportunity to support The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's efforts to improve the treatment for blood-related cancers. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society was founded in 1949 by parents who lost their only son to leukemia. It was their belief that this organization would help find a cure for cancer through research. Sara benefited from such leukemia research as the recipient of a bone marrow transplant. This treatment allowed her another year of life in which she was able to realize her dream of attending college at Penn State University. While strides have been made in cancer research, there is still much work to be done in the efforts to treat and ultimately cure blood-related cancers. Fortunately, groups like The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society are dedicated to making this a reality.

Please help me to meet – and hopefully exceed – my commitment to raise $4,200 by making a tax-deductible donation to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. For more information about The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Team in Training program, visit their Web site at: http://www.teamintraining.org

Thank you very much for your contribution. I will keep you posted on my progress. And, in the meantime, wherever you may be, remember that life is a gift. Rain or shine, we must always "Enjoy the Weather." :-)