Team in Training Kickoff!

I had a long-ass gig Friday night in San Jose at the Fairmont Hotel. We had three costume changes, and our formal gowns (there are three singers) were quite popular with the crowd. However, I didn't get home until 3 AM! I went to sleep only to hear my husband (a born early-bird) crowing "Wake up, Ironman!" at 7:30 AM. I got up and got my older son ready to accompany me to the Team in Training kickoff meeting for my triathlon fundraising adventure.

It began at 9 AM in San Francisco. There were hundreds of new and returning athletes, cancer survivors, mentors and coaches. After getting our T-shirts, we crowded into a conference room. The lights dimmed and a movie with a cheesy Michael Bolton song, "Go the Distance," began playing. Right away I teared up watching montages of children undergoing chemotherapy and athletes crossing finish lines. After the movie ended, we learned about the history of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, founded in 1949, and the 20 years of Team in Training, its highly successful venture that pairs endurance sports with fundraising.

Then a man got up to share his story: An avid cyclist and father of two, he always saw Team in Training (TNT) athletes at races and wondered who these crazies were. One day his wife announced she was going to run a marathon with TNT. From that point on, they were hooked, and both became deeply involved in the organization. Several years in, his wife took a paying position with TNT. Then, in 2006, he noticed himself fatiguing frequently. A routine blood test revealed the unthinkable, ironic diagnosis: Leukemia. And not a "better kind" of leukemia. After chemo and radiation, his only hope was a bone marrow transplant. But being an Asian American with a rare antigen in his genetic makeup, a match proved impossible to find, even after a worldwide search. His wife organized a donor drive to register more Asian Americans and he realized that even if no one matched him, at least his efforts would make it less likely that someone else would suffer the same fate. Amazingly, a match was found. One year ago yesterday he received his transplant and is now in full remission, a husband, father and athlete with a second shot at life.

One of the more touching aspects of his story was how TNT supported him. His hospital room
overlooked Kezar Stadium in San Francisco, and he used to look out the window at the endurance athletes training for upcoming events. At the end of every workout, he said, they'd jump, scream and wave wildly in the direction of his window, filling him with hope.

Of course, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society does much more than provide emotional support: The increased life expectancy and reduced morbidity of these diseases is due in great part to the numerous research grants it has provided. From 1960 to 2000, the five-year survival rate of Leukemia has gone from just 14% to 48%, Hodgkin Lymphoma from 40% to 86%, and Myeloma from 6% to 32%. In 2006 alone, the nationwide organization raised $240 million, with $13 million coming from Northern California. More than 75% of funds go to the charitable (tax-deductable, of course) cause.

After the touching stories of cancer survivors and "honorees" currently in treatment, we met our coaches and mentors, many of whom also had stunning stories of cancer diagnosis and recovery. "These people are your inspiration," we were told. "If you think it's hard biking up a mountain, just remember -- they've been through a lot harder." As I looked at the training schedule, I began to realize this was going to kick my butt! "If you try to fit this program into your life you're going to fail," the head coach said. "You have to fit your life into the program."

I am officially petrified of what I've got myself into. I've never done anything like this in my life, either athletically or financially. But things could be a lot worse, as I learned yesterday.

With that said, thank you to my early donors! Please donate to this great cause today and know that you helped cure cancer!