Why I Run...

This winter and Spring I have decided to train for the Go! St. Louis Half Marathon and am doing my training through Team in Training to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Meet Josie!

JOSIE is my Honored Teammate!
Diagnosis: Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia
Diagnosed: April 3, 2004
Status: In Remission
Josie is such an inspiration to us all. From the beginning, she has dealt with everything so well. She loves to dance and sing, and she is always making up new songs about herself and her disease. She loves to play with her Barbies or play dress up, and her favorite person to play with is her sister, Gabrielle. Josie is such a vibrant little girl. Throughout everything she is going through, she hasn't lost that. Her smile lights up the room. When we do have more difficult days, she does pretty well; she tries to understand. But what she understands most, is when this is done, she will be better.

But here is the real reason I am running...
Last week Toby has had pneumonia and Piper has had RSV! I spent the week tending to temperamental kids, dishing out lots of medicine and praying that they would be well soon. Before I left for my training run on Saturday Toby was up for the 7th night in a row with a fever above 101. I knew that the doctor was going to want a chest x-ray later that morning. So I left to go run totally preoccupied with the health of my baby boy! Running was really not important to me at that moment. Before we left for our run, a Team in Training staff member encouraged us, as we passed Children's Hospital, to think of the families that are there right now with their kids. Then she said the words that cut me like a knife...she said, "That's where we lost our daughter."
I know Toby is sick, but I also know that he will be back to himself in a week or so. There are moms sitting in a hospital comforting their babies and may not know if they will see another Christmas. I was reminded is a sobering way...that's why I am run!

Although I am the one running, we can all help! Every donation makes a difference! Please consider donating today! Donations can be made online from my personal Team in Training Web page.