I’ve committed to a personal goal of raising $2500.00 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Don’t panic!! I’m not asking you personally for $2500 (unless of course it's burning a hole in your wallet)!! But I do need your support. What good will your contribution do? I personally am spurred on through my training by the memory of a good friend, Chrissy Stada, as well as my loving Grandpa Fox. Below is a snapshot of each of their stories. Please know that your contributions will make a measurable impact on those suffering from blood-related cancers, both from the treatment/research standpoint, and from the personal perspective, as it did for Chrissie and Grandpa Fox.

Chrissy Stada
I met Chrissy in the fall of my sophomore year at Ohio University. She was involved in everything and balanced it all; I looked up to Chrissy and treasured the times spent growing our friendship. The first day of winter quarter the next year, I got a chilling phone call: her roommates called each cabinet member of Kappa Phi, the Christian service sorority that we were both in, to let us know that Chrissy had been diagnosed on Christmas Eve 1999 with AML, Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. Over the course of the next 19 months, Chrissy endured 2 intense sessions of chemotherapy, as well as 2 bone marrow transplants. Fall of 2000, Chrissy was in remission!! She returned to OU to complete her degree. Two weeks later however, they found the leukemia had returned. That was the last time I saw my beautiful friend. She was radiant! Smiling and laughing! On July 23, 2002 Chrissy lost her fight against this atrocious disease. Her mother recently wrote to me: “Because of research and treatment, clinical trials, and the wonderful care she got at Johns Hopkins Medical Center, we had Chrissy for 19 months after her diagnosis...19 months of hope, courage, and the love of our amazing daughter.”

Grandpa Fox
When I started my last race and fundraising just over a year ago, I had a healthy and happy grandfather whome I treasured. Now he's gone. He was diagnosed in February with non-Hodgkinds Lymphoma. I got to see him in September, and he was gone October 7, 2002. Seven months and this retched disease stole the life of a young (he was only 71), active, healthy man whom I love dearly. I can't stand to let another family go thorugh what mine has or what Chrissie's has. Your support and prayers are desperately needed as the fight against these diseases advances.

I have set a preliminary goal to raise $1500 by February 28, 2003!! Please join my team and let's fight back against this life-stealing disease.