In meeting Trinity, I learned she has been fighting Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia since the age of three. Despite her youth, she has handled this challenge with amazing courage. Her strength and endurance while undergoing treatment, as well as her eagerness to help raise money for this cause has inspired me to reach out to you. In January 2006, she responded positively to a bone marrow transplant. Now she can again enjoy one of her favorite things, swimming the butterfly stroke. She told me this after a high-five to celebrate my agreeing to raise funds in her honor. Trinity has an amazing energy and an incredible appreciation for life, which you can feel by being in her presence. She also has a healthy dose of good old fashion spunk and doesn’t hold back in telling you her opinions, which is for sure. Trinity and other children with blood cancers can win this battle with proper treatment and continued research. Currently seven out of ten people survive and with your help, we can make sure Trinity is one of them.

Most people, like me, know someone who has faced a cancer related illness, therefore understanding all too well the need for research to find a cure. My family has personally benefited from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's funding through the development of an oral chemotherapy pill, which my father and aunt both had to take in their fights against cancer. My father has beaten his cancer so far; however my aunt was not so lucky. Thus, the fight against all cancers is a very personal and important cause to me.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is a national non-profit, voluntary health agency dedicated with the mission: To cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Why this cause? Every five minutes, someone is diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease or myeloma – nearly 150 people every day. Every ten minutes, someone dies from these diseases. In 2007 approximately 52,048 lives were lost to blood cancers; that’s 143 people each day.

The campaign I am joining is known as The Man of the Year Campaign. This year Leukemia & Lymphoma Society chose four men participate in my area. The mission for each of us is to raise funds in honor of Trinity. The man that raises the most funds during this 10 week period, ending May 15th, earns the title Man of the Year. The Society certainly understands competition is an excellent motivator, especially for me. Clearly I and the other candidates are all winning since we are making a difference and helping a great cause. However we can't let those other bozos beat me. Only joking of course, two of the other candidates were already my friends long before this campaign, but that doesn't mean my competitive nature can be put on hold. In all seriousness, the title not the reason for this effort; the true motivator is to make a difference for Trinity and other children. Last year's winner raised over $53,000, and with your help, I hope to raise $60,000 and together we can do something really special.

Therefore, I am reaching out for you help. Those of you that have received this from me or a friend, please know I have not asked for anything like this in the past. Thus, I am asking you to please consider making a donation or forward this information to someone that can. As a reminder, this campaign ends May 15th.

If you are kind enough to donate, please check to see if your company will match your charitable effort. Thank you, in advance, for joining me in a truly life saving effort. Regardless of the outcome of the campaign, we can all share in the satisfaction of knowing, that we are making a positive impact in the lives of those affected by these terrible diseases.

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