Mark's run for a Cause
Special Thanks to cj Advertising's "Camels with a Cause" charity for their support
How many people do you know that have been affected by cancer? Up until this year cancer was not something I thought about enough.
Have you ever felt powerless when it comes to helping those with cancer? Cancer is a dreadful disease that takes too many lives, but THERE IS something you can do. I need you to partner with me to help reach a goal that seems as difficult to reach as running a marathon. By April 26, 2008, I hope, with your help, to reach my goal of $50,000 to put toward research and a potential cure for cancer.
Let me take a minute to tell you how I got involved in this endeavor. Since I was a child, my dad has been the rock of stability in our family’s life. Nobody worked harder or gave himself more freely than my dad. He worked from sun up to sun down just to provide all he could for our family. If anyone asked him for a favor, he was the first to act and never asked for anything in return.
This June, my dad was diagnosed with Lung Cancer. The first thing the doctor said to my dad after the diagnosis was, “Mr. Scrivner you are about to feel like you are preparing to run a marathon with the cancer treatment you’ll undertake.” After hearing this, I took him the solid silver medal I earned for running two ½ marathons last year that said 26.2 Musical Miles, the distance for a full marathon. I remember handing it over and he broke down, knowing what a tall task was being asked of him. He fought the dreadful disease until October 12, 2007, when he passed the medal back to me and said, “I did it, you will need this back.” A few hours later surrounded by family and close friends, my dad passed away. I knew at that moment what I must do, and that was to do my part to find a cure.
Dedication, Courage, and Inspiration
During this 3½-month fight, I was grateful for the support and stories of friends who had endured the same pain. Some of these people’s stories will be shared later. Know that when times seem the most difficult, people will rally to your aid.
My dad would never want me to run a marathon for just him, and that is why I have dedicated my journey to everyone whose lives have been affected by cancer. I plan to run for the people I know who are battling cancer, beat cancer, or whose lives have been taken too early by cancer.
Two people I work with are Arnie Malham whose dad, Arnold, is currently battling cancer and Laura Duddy, whose mother, Kathryn, has been battling cancer for the past 12 years and whose dad, Ed, beat prostate cancer six years ago. I am also running for, Laura Buckley who has just begun her fight with colon cancer, for Phil Grammer who was just diagnosed with prostate cancer, and for a family friend back home, Joe Griswold, who just started his fight with lymphoma. Laura, Phil and Joe – you fight it with all you’ve got. We are all with you.
I will be running for Sean Duddy whose mother, Jean, passed away after her fight with breast cancer. For Anne Malham, whose mom, Judith, lost her battle with leukemia a few years ago. For Chris Cosper, whose dad’s battle with lung cancer ended two weeks before it took my dad. I am running to support my wife and our family when she lost her grandmother, Loretta, to cancer a few years back. For friends and other coworkers Travis Blake, Alan McKenna, Kirk Earleywine, and Suzanne Lee whose moms, Cheryl, Marie, Phyllis, and Louise were taken too early by cancer. For Katie Stone, who was a rock of support for me during my dad’s battle after losing her dad, Jack, to lung cancer two years earlier and for Amber Dowd whose dad, Roger, lost his battle with lung cancer during the same time. For an old friend Mike Moore, whose mom, Libba, an author of children’s books, was taken by cancer. For Tom, the nicest person anyone could meet whose story of his son’s fights with Leukemia inspires me during every Team in Training run. Tom and his family lost their son to Leukemia at 16 after battling it into remission at age 10 – I run for your family. When you look around, there are very few people you meet whose lives have not been touched by cancer and I am also running for all them.
I will be running for Michael and Melinda Senna for their strength as Melinda beat breast cancer last year and for Jason and Zoni Clark whose strength helped Zoni to beat thyroid cancer this year. For the strength of the Marriott family back home, whose son, Lance, and granddaughter, Bailey, has battled leukemia on two fronts and beat it both times. For Keith Putman whose mom, Patsy, beat breast cancer in 1991. For another old friend Toni Pryor Alvarez, whose dad, Max, and mom, Carolyn, have both beat cancer at different times during their lives. For Marci Kacsir, whose aunt, Terry, beat breast cancer.
For all those of you out there who have been affected by this disease—I run for you and your loved ones. Visit CamelswithaCause.com, add your name to the dedication list and I’ll run for you too.
Reaching the Goal
To sign-up and run for Team in Training, I committed to raising $1,800 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. To truly challenge myself, I have set my own goal of $50,000. My hope is to not only raise the funds, but to put this money to work to find a cure for all types of cancer. I know with the support of my friends, family, and those who receive my message, we can do it together.
Please give what you can and if you can’t give, all I ask is that you pray for strength for me during this journey and forward this message out to your contacts who may also be interested in supporting this cause.
For more information, please visit Camels with a Cause by clicking here.
