Saturday Runs...

Running is great. It is invigorating. It gets me motivated and moving so much earlier than I used to. It has been amazing. Add in the team members that show up every week, and the fun factor increases significantly.

Today however, I thought I would share with you our Honored Team Mate. Every week, we have a mission moment, where someone shares why they are with the team, typically sharing a story that honors a victim or a survivor of Leukemia or Lymphoma. It reminds us why we are there doing what we are doing. About every other week, we get a check-up with our Honored Team Mate, this past week, was one of those weeks.

Our Honored Team Mate is two years old. He went to the doctor with what seemed to be a chronic ear infection, but with his parents persistence, the doctors performed more tests in which it was discovered that he was suffering from Leukemia. He was checked into Seattle's Children's Hospital where is was admitted for 6 months of care, including 6 rounds of chemotherapy. We have received letters from his parents that describe a day in the life of their son and what he has gone through to eradicate the cancer from his body. As a mother of a one year old, I cannot even begin to imagine the stress and strain on this family (who also have a 6 year old).

This past Saturday, our team mate's Dad was hoping to join us, however, they were sent to the hospital with a temperature of 106 degrees, so he was unable to join us. He did however send us a note to update us on our littlest team mates progress. They were told that an infection had sprouted in his central line (which is surprisingly, better news than anticipated), so he was set up on 4 different antibiotics to treat the infection and his central line was replaced. On a positive note, on his last scan, there was no sign of cancer in his blood. He is getting ready to start his fourth round of chemo and we are all hoping that his scans continue to be clear. Please, pray, think positive, whatever you do, to keep this little guy feeling good and clean and clear of cancer in his blood.

This is why we are all out there on Saturday morning. Forget how I feel afterward. Forget that I have made new friends. Forget that I am physically surpassing goals on my runs. The fact is that, the money we raise, goes directly to funding research so our Honored Team Mate continues to recover from this disease, and so other kiddos never have to suffer through what many of us can't even imagine.

Thank you to all who have donated to my goal, and who continue to follow my progress. I am blessed to have a happy and healthy family, but knowing that organizations like this exist to ensure that when and if something ever did strike close to home, makes me work even harder to raise money for more research, and treatment options.

Thanks again,
Stephanie

$1000 Mark

Well, I am happy to report that I have reached $1,000 ($1,005.53 to be exact). I still have a ways to go, but I am feeling better about the $1,900 I have left to raise because of a few exciting things I am putting together!

Here's what I got! I am still working on posters and what not to go with my events, but I am REALLY excited. Here are my small marketing ideas for each event.

***ONE***
YOGA CURES CANCER
(well, not really, but it sure could help)

Here's how—
Please join us in previewing the Bothell Yoga & Fitness class offered at Brooks!
Participate in class, meet the teacher, see what Brooks + Bothell Yoga & Fitness have to offer us.
All proceeds go towards supporting Stephanie's fundraising goal with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training

Join us: Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 1:00-2:00 in the Moving Comfort Empty Space
Suggested Donation: $15
Please sign-up in the Beastro (please indicate whether or not you will be bringing your own mat or if you would like to borrow from the Yoga Studio)
Please email Stephanie with any questions!

***TWO***
AQUASOX TNT CELEBRATION NIGHT
Join us Friday, June 25, 2010 at 7:05 for an end of the year celebration!

Tickets: $10 ($3 of every ticket sold goes directly to Stephanie's Team in Training Goal!)
Enjoy an Upper Box Ticket to watch the Everett AquaSox take on the Yakima Bears with post-game fireworks.

For tickets, please fill out the ticket voucher and return to Stephanie D.

***THREE***
All I have to say is, design for donations!

That's what I've got!
Hopefully it will get me some good results! I am really hoping to hit my 50% mark before February 16th (my recommitment date) and of course, I would love to hit my total goal and keep progressing forward!

Thanks for the support! And thanks to the AquaSox an the Bothell Yoga & Fitness!

Stephanie

Fundraising...

So, recommittment is in a month (February 16). My goal all along was to be over 50% before then (that is $1450), so, I have some work to do! But I have some good ideas to get me rolling. Let me know if you have anything to add or any suggestions! I hope to get this first one (well, really my second event) up and running towards the beginning of February!

YOGA TRIAL DAY (in development):
We have a Yoga trainer that visits Brooks once a week and teaches a class. I have often considered joining the class myself, but I never really know what I would be getting myself into. And therefore, I assume there are others out there who feel the same. The class usually gets about 4 people, and we have 100+ employees. So, I emailed the teacher and asked her if she would be willing to volunteer her time to do a demo/trial class. I figure if I can get some folks to sign up for $10 for the trial class (the class is usually $13), I will yield some good results, and in return maybe a few more people will sign up for the regular class! The teacher responded that she was very interested, had to have it approved by her boss but we are scheduled to meet to chat about it next Thursday! Exciting! Anybody who is even considering donating their time gets a plug too! Here is a link to the studio! Bothell Yoga & Wellness

That's a good start I hope! I have a couple of other things like this to check out, and am hoping I get some good results! So, look for ideas on Garlic Jim's Pizza, Massage Therapy, Qdoba, and much more!

I am still collecting donations! I know it is hard to choose who and what to donate to in light of all of the terrible news out of Haiti, but even the smallest donation helps, even if it is in the form of encouragement!

Speaking of Haiti, a blog that I follow (Pioneer Woman) has offered up an amazing give-a-way this week. All you have to do is comment on her post about Haiti, and she will donate 10 cents for every comment (she usually gets over 2,000). On Friday she plans to randomly select 2 people who responded and give then $500 to donate to a charity related to Haiti of their choice. Please respond!

Thanks for following!
Stephanie

Did I Make it?

Well, come that particular Saturday morning, I chose to walk! But it was a good walk. And I believe it was that added rest on my lungs that has allowed me to get going so well this week!

This week has been great. Some how I have managed to find the only dry times (except for today) to head out! Today the weather was perfect, great temperature, and just a little bit of rain (not enough to soak through my non-water proof sleeves). I had been starting to get a bid bored of my typical loop at work, so, I decided to switch it up today and ran the opposite direction! It was great, the oh so big hill that I usually run up, was a wonderful down hill coast! Who knew all you had to do was run the opposite direction? Ha!

As I ran today, I assessed how far I have come since I started Team in Training. As an asthmatic, running has never been something that I have been able to do well, at least not without needing my inhaler regularly. As I was running—a bit quicker than usual I might add, I noticed how well my lungs felt and how clear they were. No inhaler. This is a wonderful reward.

Thus, the training continues!

Will I Make It?

I have had a rough couple of weeks. Vacation + A Nasty Cold = Not a lot of Time to Run. I have been walking as often as I can, but this week with a really bad case of bronchitis, it was tough to do anything. But, I am ready to get back on the band wagon. Last week was fun walking with some gals at practice, but I miss being able to knock out a good run!

So, tomorrow, I am back on the wagon. For 70 minutes I plan to alternate walking five minutes, running five minutes, hopefully with someone(s) who will be in a similar position to mine.

Will my lungs survive? I hope so! I know my legs will. I know my feet will. But, I'm not so sure about my lungs! I will let you all know how it goes!

Wish me luck!

I am still looking for donations! I am brainstorming ideas for fundraising, so if you have any ideas, let me know!

Thanks for following!

Stephanie