Shannon Bousquet's Team In Training Page
Racing to Save Lives
Hello and thank you for visiting this site.
I am training to participate in an endurance event as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training. All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives.
This fight touches me personally because in April of 2006, my dear friend, Victoria, was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML). Here is a message from her as she went back in for her second round of chemo on July 11th:
"I feel very peaceful here, preparing for the second journey into the hospital for my next round of Chemo.
This is a new hospital, UCSF. It is located about a mile from my home on top of a very large hill overlooking the City. I have no idea if I will have a room with a view yet. But I like the idea of being on this great hill. I have this feeling of going to a Great Healing Temple to begin this Amazing Ceremony.
All of this is true of course I am going to a Healing Temple. And this is a ceremony.
Its a good thing I love ceremonies so much, because I am told this is going to be a big one. Bigger and harder then the last one. I am ready and I feel open to receive this next round of chemo in the best way possible.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, I will go to UCSF to begin. I will be in my room by late afternoon and begin receiving Chemo by Tuesday evening
Its very strange to think that I feel so strong and healthy now and I am entering the Temple and allowing them to give me Medicine to get me sick, so I can get better. But this is how it works.
Last week I was struggling with all of this... the enormity of it all. My poor body I was telling myself..... How much can I take? What will happen? What will change? Who will I be when this is all over? Will I be strong enough? But I had no answers really, only more questions. That process is important and I wanted to honor that sadness I was feeling. That sadness and fear that comes with not knowing.
A few days ago I watched a video my parents had given Noah and I about people that have been through this, they talked about their struggles and what it took for them to get thru it all. Really one thing stood out for me and that is you just decide you are going to do it and you have faith.
So today I am ready, I have faith and I am choosing my life.
The Human Spirit is amazing. I feel blessed that my spirit is strong and clear.
I know that things may get tough. Im ready to be strong, I am ready to weep, I am ready to allow for my fears? and the not knowing. I am ready for this ceremony."
I'm completing this marathon in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancers. These people are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!
Please make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance the Society's mission.
I hope you'll visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress. Thanks for your support!
