Michael Cooke's Team In Training Page
Racing to Save Lives
Welcome to my Team In Training home page.
I am training to participate in the Disney Marathon in Jan. 2008 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. I'm completing this event 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!
I have two personal heroes who, with great courage, have faced leukemia and have inspired me to help raise funds for LLS. The first is my sister, Susan Marcheski, who, with constant support from my borther-in-law, John, has fought leukemia for more than ten years. Susan was diagnosed in 1997. She had no matches for purposes of a marrow transplant. But some experimental treatments have kept her strong and vibrant. Susan claims to be my younger sister, and I won't contradict that, but I have looked up to her our whole lives. She is a leader and even now leads me to better understand how to live with joy, peace, and strength no matter what the circumstances. She fully suppports LLS and its services, like the funds for research it provides. So I'm doing this to honor her.
I'm also running in honor of my friend, Roberta Petish. Roberta was diagnosed with leukemia a few years after my sister. She "lost" her battle to leukemia on May 2, 2006. But if ever there was a winner, it was Roberta. She touched so many lives and taught us all to enjoy every moment. There are many things I could say to describe Roberta's spirit, but I'll mention just one. In 2005, just a year after receiving her bone marrow transplant, Roberta raced in a Team In Training skating marathon at Disney, and it was one of her most cherished accomplishments. Many of Roberta's friends and family first learned about LLS and Team In Training through Roberta. Whenever I think of her I know I am running and raising funds for a good cause
These are two heroes with blood cancer who have touched me personally. But there are so many more who deserve our support. Please make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance the Society's mission. It will make a difference in someone's life who is battling leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, or myeloma.
I hope you'll visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress. Thanks for your support!
