I went to an info meeting last night for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program, and I have officially signed up to train with them for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon on May 20. I have always wanted to run a marathon, and to be able to not only run for myself but for others makes it even better. I am running in honor of my mother-in-law, Cindy Roth .

As most of you know, Cindy was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia in April and her battle has gone well beyond marathon proportions. She not only underwent 2 rounds of induction chemotherapy (24 hours a day for an entire week each time), but another round of chemo that destroyed her immune system in preparation for her bone marrow transplant. She chose to fight, she chose to stay positive, she chose life. Today she is over 100 days post-transplant and her counts continue to rise along with her spirit as she comes closer and closer to beating this thing. Words do not exist to describe the horror that she went through, and to stand by through it all without the ability to do anything to help really got to me. So this is my way of showing her just how much she has impacted and inspired all of those around her. Every time I don’t want to get out of bed to face the cold air outside, every cramp that stops me in my tracks, every mile that I add to reach the 26 mile mark - every struggle will make me think of her and the thousands of others who battle every day just to stay alive. A speaker at the meeting last night said that he believes the person who will cure cancer is already here, they just need the money to do it. Research is our only weapon to finding a cure, so please donate if you can, and if you can’t - keep all of those fighting in your thoughts and prayers.

I have to raise $1600 in order to run as part of the “Team,” so if you’d like to contribute please head on over to my fundraising website to make a secure donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Donations are tax deductible and go towards patient care and research, bringing us one step closer to a cure.