Pay It Forward!

"It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end." -Ursula K. LeGuin                                                                           

April 4, 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

On February 6, 201, I ran my first ½ Marathon at the Surf City Marathon in Huntington Beach, California.  I first joined Team In Training in October of 2010 with the hopes of raising live saving funds for patients with blood cancers.  With the help of my wonderful family and friends, I reached (and surpassed) my goal of raising $1,800.00.  Joining Team In Training was one of the best decisions I made, the first being that I married my wonderful husband! Knowing that I made a difference in someone’s life made me feel good inside. Each day we are given the opportunity to begin anew.  We do not have to be defined by the past and burdened by the future. It is all in how we choose to look at it. It’s everyone’s individual choice.

I’ve returned to Team In Training for the Fall Season and will be training for the Disneyland ½ Marathon on September 4^th, 2011.  I will be running through the streets of Anaheim, Disneyland and California Adventure.  If cancer patients can go through daily chemotherapy, radiation and pain, running 13.1 miles in their honor is nothing compared to their fight.

There are many people that either have been immediately hit with, or know someone who has had some type of blood cancer.  I want to do my part again by “paying it forward,” and doing what I can do to help these patients live longer lives.  I would like to fee that if I ever was in a position where my life was threatened with a blood disease, there would be people out there who would fight with me and for me.  I have made a commitment to raise at least $1,650 for the society.

As I train, a mile at a time, it is with passionate hope that I can make a difference so other patients and their families will not have to endure such heartache of losing a loved one.  When all is said and done, I will have logged over 200 miles and over 40 hours of running the roads and trails, and will participate in lung busting hill training sessions.  I will probably have to take some ice baths to soothe my aching muscles.

An estimated 137,260 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma this year. Every nine minutes, a child or adult dies from leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma.  On the bright side an estimated 640,000 Americans are presently living with leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. Twenty years ago the survival rate of people with blood related cancers was around 20%. Now it has climbed to over 80%. I need help in attempting to make that number higher.

           

Please help me reach and surpass my fundraising goal by making a 100% tax-deductible donation to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  Every dollar counts and no amount is too small or too large.  Donations can be made on my web site, http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/disneyh11/lcastroq1u or you can send a check made out to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to my address.  I have started a blog for family and friends to follow me on this journey, www.lynnrunsamarathon.blogspot.com.  I would appreciate your encouragement and need as many people in my corner as possible.

With warmth, love and thanks,

Lynn Castro