Paul DeLuca's Team In Training Page
Saving Lives a Mile at a Time
2008 marks my third year as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training Cycling Team. We'll be riding 100 miles around Lake Tahoe, Nevada in June, 2008. As long as I am able to ride, this will be an annual event for me. Last year we raised more than $8 million dollars at the Lake Tahoe event alone to help stop leukemia, Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives.
In August of 2004, Matt's doctors told us they had found leukemia cells in Matt's blood. The moment we walked into the Emergency Department at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, our lives changed forever. One day Matt was at a soccer camp; the next we were discussing chemotherapy and bone marrow transplants, and facing the sobering realities of cancer. That was an intense three days in the hospital. During that time we toured the pediatric cancer floors and talked with doctors and counselors about treatment options. We also saw the children on those floors who were undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Those images and feelings are burned into my mind, and I'll never forget them.
After nearly four months that diagnosis thankfully proved false. It was like receiving a miracle. Matt does have a life-altering blood disorder called spherocytosis, but it is not life-threatening. Unfortunately, tens of thousands of children and adults will not be so lucky. After we learned that Matt was going to be okay, I kept thinking about the children and their families and everyone fighting blood cancer every day. For them, it has nothing to do with economics or war or mortgages or what political party happens to be in control. For them, it's about nothing but fighting cancer. For them, it's a daily battle, and it's a battle I want to help them win. I'm raising money because I know what they face and I realize how lucky we are.
This year in addition to our chapter honorees, I'm riding in memory of my wife Renée's father, Robert Mills. Her dad was her hero, and unfortunately he passed away in 1988 at the age of 52. He died of a heart attack that was the result of scarring on his arteries caused by radiation therapy for non-Hodgkins lymphoma. They don’t use that treatment any more, and while it put his cancer in remission, such a loss at such a young age still weighs on Renée every day.
I'm asking you to help, too. Your donation helps pay for treatments, research, counseling, education, bone marrow typing, volunteer training, patient aid, and so much more. Donations like yours save lives every day and give hope to those who wake up every day, look in the mirror, and say "Listen up cancer. You're not going to beat me. Not today."
Seventy-five percent of every dollar raised toward my $4,900 minimum commitment goes toward research aimed at finding a cure for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, myeloma, and other types of cancers. But, more importantly, 100% of every dollar above the minimum goes toward the cause.
Would you please join me in this effort by making a donation? I can’t make it without your love, caring, enthusiasm, and financial support. And please, forward a link to this page to family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and anyone you can think of and ask them to contribute, too.
If you prefer to mail a check, please make it payable to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and mail it to:
Paul DeLuca
38 E. Carriage Dr.
Chagrin Falls, Oh 44022
On behalf of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and all those battling blood cancer, thank you very much for your support. I really appreciate your generosity!
Sincerely,
Paul
P.S. Please forward this web address to as many people as you can to encourage them to donate as well! If your company makes matching donations, I would greatly appreciate your help in obtaining these contributions.
