Lauren's Team In Training Page
Running to Save Lives, One Mile at a Time
I'm back for another round of marathon training! A new city, a new year, and this time... a finish line.
Many of you know that last year, I trained with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training for the Chicago Marathon. Slow poke runner that I am, and hot as it was, the race quit before I did. So this year, I am joining up with TNT to finally do what I set out to do -- complete a marathon! I'm serving as a mentor for TNT while training to participate in the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco, California.
Through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training (TNT) program, the largest endurance-sport organization in the USA, I'm raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, and myeloma from taking more lives. 75% of the funds my teammates and I raise go directly back to the LLS, and much of those monies finance cutting-edge research related to blood cancers. In fact, research completed by LLS researchers has been able to help other cancer patients, regardless of specific cancer condition.
The real heroes of TNT are our patient honorees and their families. I became involved in the program by following my dad and aunt's example. They started running when my second cousin was diagnosed at ALL at the age of 3. Years later, Sean is considered "cured" and living a normal life, thanks in large part to the research and efforts of organizations like the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Unfortunately, not all stories end as happily. This year, one of the honored families on our team is the Kakolires family. When their son Nicholas was diagnosed with ALL at the age of 4, they gave everything to help save him. His younger sister was even his donor for a bone marrow transplant at the age of 9! Sadly, Nicholas passed away later that year. Because there are still tragedies like this, we have to keep raising money toward our ulitmate finish line -- a cure!
Thanks in advance fcr your support of this incredible organization. Ready to donate now? Click "DONATE NOW!" at the top left of the page to donate by credit card. If you'd rather make a check payable to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, send me an e-mail at lauren.erbach@gmail.com -- we'll get it set up! Remember that all donations are 100% tax deductible.
You can visit California, Here We Come! to check in on my training. Thanks for your support!
