Dear Family and Friends:

Last year this time, while still in sunny and warm Florida, I received an email from my good friend Dee Dee, who was on internship in New York. Dee Dee shared that she had decided to train for the NYC Marathon with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training (TNT) program. My initial reaction was: “What?!! Are you sure you want to put yourself through that during internship year (or ever)?” Well, I understood Dee Dee’s motivation when I attended a meeting held by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society about a month ago.

The following statistics speak for themselves. Leukemia is the leading fatal disease of children between the ages of 2 and 14 and adults under 35. More than 106,000 people will be diagnosed with a blood cancer this year and an estimated 58,300 will lose their battle with the disease. Keep in mind that, thirty years ago, there was no cure for leukemia. Thanks to the efforts of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, however, steady advances in research and treatment are bringing us closer to a cure. For example, the survival rate for childhood leukemia has improved from 4% in 1960 to 85% in 1999. Today, the survival rate of all blood cancers is over 40%. TNT has trained about 190,000 athletes in an effort to raise over $430 million for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, whose mission is to provide funds for direct patient care and education and to support research towards treatment and cure for blood cancers.

So, you know what is coming next. These facts convinced me to join the TNT program. I am currently training for the New York City Olympic-distance Triathlon, which involves a 0.9 mile swim (in the Hudson River!), 25 mile bike ride and 6.2 mile run. And, yes, I am hoping to do this all on one day: June 27, 2004. For those of you who know me well, you realize what a great challenge this is for me.

As a member of TNT, I have pledged to train on behalf of two honored team mates: Daniel Morris, who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia at age 5 and Lauren Maclise, who was diagnosed with Acute Myelogeneous Leukemia at age 25. On a more personal note, when doubting my athletic abilities, I draw inspiration from two of my fellow interns and friends who have been affected by blood cancers. I am completing the NYC Triathlon in honor of Roz Davidovich, who underwent treatment for leukemia at age 18, and in memory of Brian Steven’s father, Tom.

In addition to getting to the finish line in one piece, my goal is to raise at least $2500 for the Society. I hope to raise $1500 by April and $1000 by June. I hope that you will be able to provide me with your sponsorship to reach my fundraising goal. Any amount you can donate will be very much appreciated! Keep in mind that your contribution is 100% tax-deductible, and about 75% of your donation directly supports the Society’s mission. Please complete the attached donation form and return it to me (or my appointed contact person) with your donation as soon as you can. Make checks payable to “The Leukemia & Lympoma Society”.

Feel free to visit this website for updates on my training. I really appreciate your support and generosity while I embark on this adventure over the next few months. Please pass on this link to family and friends who may be interested in supporting me and this worthwhile cause. Thank you.

With great appreciation,
Demy
P.S. Please sign my guestbook! And visit this site often to get updates