In the spring of 2007, I joined Team in Training to accomplish my goal of completing my first century bike ride in memory of my father-in-law, Ken Whitlatch. Since then, I have completed 4 more century rides. This year, I've set a new goal. To complete the Markleeville Death Ride. This will be a challenging ride of 129 miles, grinding up 15,000 feet of the California Alps. I cannot imagine preparing for a ride of this distance without the help of Team in Training, a division of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) In exchange for coached workouts and support in the months leading up to the Death Ride in July, TNT participants raise funds for cancer research. My goal is to raise $4000 by June 1st.

I am riding in memory of Dorothy Warford. She was one of my honorees when I trained with Team in Training last year. At that time she was in the throws of her battle against Multiple Myeloma. She has since passed away. The last time I saw her was at her grandsons wedding in September.

I am also riding in honor of my friend, Gary Campbell who is currently going through chemotherapy for Chondrosarcoma which is the second most common primary bone cancer. His twenty-eight year old daughter Laura was one of my honorees last year as well. Laura has been cancer free for nine years.

Leukemia is the number one disease killer of children, yet it affects ten times as many adults; leukemia and lymphoma are the leading fatal cancers in men under age 35. Research sponsored by LLS has led to effective treatments of Hodgkin's disease, lymphoma, and other common cancers, including breast and lung cancer. Thanks to such research, the five-year survival rate for acute lymphocytic leukemia (the most common form of childhood leukemia) has improved from just 4% in 1960 to over 80% today.

Your generous, tax-deductible gift will be used to support research, patient services, and educational programs. It will also be an inspiration for me as I train. More importantly, it will help cancer patients and their families.