Most of you who have been reading my blog since I started it last year know that I ran the 2009 Boston Marathon to help raise money for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Two great things happened to me during my experience running as part of the Dana Farber Marathon Challenge team last April. First and what I am most proud of is that my friends and family supported my run and helped me to raise over $15,000 to help Dana Farber find a cure for cancer in our life time. Second, I met some amazing people who have remained my friends long after the race.
One of those friends is running her second marathon this year and her second time with the Dana Farber Marathon Challenge team. Her name is Helen Morey Gallo. I met her through as one of my teammates team through her emails and posts on this blog. We became friends as I tried to give her advice during her many months of training. Who knows if I really helped her out? But, we have stayed in touch ever since we crossed that finish line. I wish I was running the race with her again this year. But, I have opted instead to try and help her raise money this year.
Helen is a cancer survivor. She has been cancer free for over 11 years now. As she says, she is running the 26.2 miles “on behalf of those who can't, and in search of a way to help give them what we all deserve: the rest of our life.” She is an inspiration to us all and lets us know that cancer is not necessarily a death sentence. Helen beat it and now can call herself a seasoned marathoner.
In case you have forgotten what the Dana Farber Marathon Challenge charity is all about let me remind you. DFMC started in 1990 as one of the inaugural organizations in the official B.A.A. Boston Marathon® charity program. Since that first year, runners who participated in the program have raised $43 million for the Barr Program. The Barr Program was created to better understand, treat, and, ultimately, cure cancer. If you make a donation, I want you to know that DFMC directs 100% of funds raised to the Barr Program, “which enables scientists at the leading edge of discovery to achieve better cure rates and to enhance patients' quality of life”.
Each year the DFMC team is made up of a diverse group, “ranging from young to young at heart, from novice runner to experienced marathoner, from New England states to faraway continents, from college students to homemakers, from CEOs to retirees. It encompasses DFMC's "'invitational" marathon roster of runner-fundraisers who are not time-qualified for the Boston Marathon® as well as a sizeable contingent of Boston qualifiers. Virtually every teammate has been touched in some way by cancer. These dedicated individuals are united by their tremendous personal commitment to fighting cancer through the fundraising and training components of DFMC.”
I have not met anyone who has not been touched by cancer in some way during their lifetime. So, I am asking you to make a donation no matter how small to the DFMC this year. Please support Helen in her efforts to raise $15,000 this year. She is already 1/3 of the way there. I am looking forward to seeing her when she comes back to Boston for this year’s race. You can make your donation by clicking on this link which will take you directly to her donation page. Remember no amount is too small in the search for a cure.
http://www.rundfmc.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=321295&lis=1&kntae321295=1CA313A42FAE4C378A5C956946AD6116&supId=231091013
Here are my training totals:
Mar. 8 – 6.10 miles (53:31, 8:46 pace)
Mar. 9 – 3.75 miles (30:49, 8:08 pace) – Yasso 800s
Mar. 11 – 6.10 miles (53:07, 8:43 pace) – Tempo Run
Mar. 12 – 6.10 miles (54:46, 8:59 pace)
Mar. 13 – 11.30 miles (1:38:58, 8:45 pace)
Total Miles: 33.35 miles
2010 YTD Miles: 310.15 miles
1 comment:
Good for you to help Helen raise money. I will make a donation in her name since you're not running.
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