Laura Taillon's Team In Training Page
Racing to Save Lives
Welcome to my Team In Training home page.
On August 28th, 2005 I will swim, bike and run the world's largest distance triathlon, the Accenture in Chicago as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training. I am competing to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's efforts to raise money, find cures and improve the quality of life of blood cancer patients and their families. Cancer touches so many of us whether we are young or old. It's hard not to think of cancer as something that you don't have to worry about until you are older, but that is most definitely not the case. It's the blood cancers, leukemia and lymphoma, that are the leading fatal cancers in young men under 35. I have had both types of blood cancer touch my life, most recently with Scott Greene my husband's business partner and dear friend who was diagnosed with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at age 32. And just out of high school one of my good friends, Sean Kilgore passed away from a form of childhood leukemia.
Last fall Scott developed a cough that just wouldn't go away. He went to the doctor and was diagnosed with bronchitis. Months later Scott was STILL coughing and a lump began to develop in his chest. He went back to the doctor and his lump was misdiagnosed as a pulled muscle resulting from coughing so much. It was Scott that insisted upon an x-ray and thank heavens he did because it revealed a tumor from nipple to nipple throughout his chest, Scott was immediately taken to the hospital. Less than a week later he met with a cancer specialist at Duke and was diagnosed with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. By this time Scott was having trouble breathing and felt numbness in his extremities from the tumor crushing his lungs and his heart. Scott went through chemotherapy treatments to shrink the tumor before radiation could be used to destroy it. He had his last radiation session the end of May and he is doing great! Scott's attitude through the entire process has been truly inspirational. The real test to see how successful his treatments have been will be in August when he gets his PEP scan to see if he is cancer free.
Sean Kilgore and I met through mutual friends soon after I graduated from high school. I was a great friend for him to have because I would drive him around everywhere (he didn't have a car), and I happened to have a lot of cute girl friends. I didn't mind doing it because he was such a sweetie and a joy to be around! He and I eventually became great friends. Sean was one of those guys that everybody loved with a great smile and always upbeat. He didn't tell me when he was diagnosed with leukemia, I suppose because he didn't want to bring me down. I didn't find out until he started wearing bandanas on his head, and looking really pale. I asked him why he was covering up his great hair. I felt so bad for asking him that after I heard the answer. We never really talked about it much. I thought that if he wanted to, he would. I miss him dearly and feel lucky that I had the chance to know him. He will forever be in my heart.
Cancer is one of life's terrible tragedies. Seeing anyone go through it, whether you know them well or not, will make you want to do anything possible to help. I am so thankful that Team In Training is giving me a way to help. We start our training sessions with dedications to those who have had cancer giving each run, bike or swim purpose beyond belief. It's an amazing feeling.
I feel incredibly fortunate to be alive and physically able to take on this challenge. Please help me celebrate the joy of life and the hope that others will benefit from our combined effort to make a difference. My goal is to raise $4,800 by August 20, 2005. Please make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training. In doing so, you will be supporting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s vital mission, which is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families.
I hope you'll visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress. Thanks for your support!
Thank you!!
Laura Taillon Laura.taillon@sas.com (919)787-4112
