You probably think I'm crazy...

I've decided to participate in my third Team In Training event and continue to raise much-needed funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society! But this time, I'm training to complete an Olympic distance triathlon--the Capital of Texas Triathlon! That's right...1500 meter swim, 24.5 mile bike and a 3.1 mile run. I'm really excited and anxious to start training, but there is an even more important aspect to this race--the money I will raise to help fight blood cancers.



I would like to share with you why Team In Training is so important to me.

In October of 2005, my Uncle John was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia, or CML. Today, there is no cure for CML, but thanks to the money raised by Team In Training, a drug was developed to treat CML. My uncle takes Gleevec every day and it keeps him alive. You’re probably thinking, if Gleevec works, why do you need to keep raising money? Because Gleevec is not a cure, it is a treatment. And eventually, patients develop a resistance to treatment, so we need to keep raising money to find the next drug after Gleevec and more importantly, a cure.



I wish I could say that my uncle is my only reason to race, but unfortunately, he is not. Throughout the time I have been involved with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society I have met so many people who have battled or are currently battling a blood cancer and I am constantly amazed by their courage and fortitude.



I will be racing the triathlon in Austin, TX in honor of my Uncle John and because I know that as hard as it is to train for a triathlon, it will be nothing compared to what my Uncle John and others battling cancer experiene every day. I am racing because I believe that a cure for cancer will be found within my lifetime. I am racing so that some day, parents will no longer have to watch their children undergo treatment for cancer. I am racing so that one day the Society will cross it's ultimate finish line--a cure!



How can you help? Please make a tax deductible donation to my fundraising effort. You can do it online by visiting:



http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/txtri09/llambrenos.



Remember, no donation is too small!



I hope you will check my site often to see my progress! I will also post fundraising events here. Thank you!

Lisa :-)