Jolene's Team in Training Page
Saving Lives One Mile at a Time
Welcome to my Team In Training home page.
God works in mysterious ways. Four years ago, after living with Leukemia for several years, my father, Don Runger, began to suffer the ill effects of this deadly disease. As he was living in Arizona at the time and I was living in Atlanta, I felt very helpless and wanted to help in some way. I decided to do a triathlon for Team in Training with my father as my honored hero. I trained hard and I met others who were also training and raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and I realized that together we can make a difference in the fight against blood cancers. My father lost his battle a few weeks before I completed my first triathlon in 2004, however, it is not too late for the approximately 130,000 people who will be diagnosed with Leukemia this year. Since 1988, Team in Training volunteers have raised more than $850 million to provide patient services, support and research in the fight against Leukemia, Lymphoma and Myeloma.
On February 29, 2008, Cameron Wooten, age 28, my daughter's softball coach's son, was diagnosed with Acute Myeloma Leukemia or AML. Luckily, he was diagnosed early on a whim from his family friend and doctor, because while going to the doctor for a sore throat, he looked a little pale. Cameron has been at St. Francis Hospital in Greenville, SC and just recently completed his first round of chemotherapy. As soon as his white counts are up, he will be able to return home until his next treatment in May. Although Cameron is young and healthy, the success rate for treating this disease is only 25%. Cameron and his wife, Lyn, are expecting their first child in May. Please keep Cameron and his family in your prayers as he endures this challenge.
When I first heard the news of Cameron's diagnosis, I immediately felt the need to do “something”, so I jumped on the Team in Training website and learned the South Carolina chapter was training for the Philly Triathlon on June 22, 2008 and that it was not too late for me to be a part of the team. Since it is a few weeks after my daughter Rachel's high school graduation and the week before the Runger family reunion in Arkansas, I thought to myself “why not?”
I have been so touched by the generosity of the people around me who have rallied around Cameron to help provide meals to his family and to host a bone marrow drive in Simpsonville. I have made a commitment to raise $4,000 by May 23, to participate in the Philly Triathlon in Philadelphia and I will swim .9 miles, bike 25 miles and run 6.2 miles. Will you consider helping me reach my goal and donating to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society? All donations are tax-deductible.
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!
Thanks to everyone for your generosity! Please keep the donations coming as now every $ donated goes straight to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society! I am so touched by everyone's generosity!!!
I added a new picture of me with Sarah, a fellow TNT participant, (on the left) and Nicole, my coach. We had just completed the "bakery" ride where we started in Tygerville, SC and rode up to Saluda, NC and back. It was incredibly scenic through mountains and I did not crash my new bike!
Update on Cameron, my honored hero: The doctors have determined that he must have a stem cell transplant. Cameron and his dad, Larry Wooten traveled to MD Anderson in Houston this past week to determine if that is where they want it to happen. They will also be traveling to Duke to see if they might be able to perform the procedure and then will decide. I will keep you posted on his status. Please continue your prayers!!
Love, Jolene
