For those of you who are not familiar with Team In Training (TNT), TNT is a program which trains individuals for endurance events while raising money to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The mission of the society is to cure Leukemia, Lymphoma, Hodgkins disease and Myeloma and to help improve the quality of life for the parents and their families. What a great cause, right? Since I caught the running bug last year, I decided to run another marathon, this time the Marine Corps Marathon on October 25, 2009, with TNT.
Most of us know someone whose life has been touched by cancer and I am honored to be running for two individuals. The first is someone very close to my heart. Her name is Kathi Hahn, she is my best friend Ashley's mother. Mrs. Hahn was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in late 2007 and was given a clean bill of health in May of 2008. On August 11th, Ashley and her family were given the horrible news that her mom now has leukemia. Mrs. Hahn received a bone marrow transplant on February 6th. The recovery process has been a long and grueling one, but Mrs. Hahn doesn't let it show. She's amazingly positive and such a fighter. She is truly the strongest person I have ever met in my life.
Mrs. Hahn and her team
I am also running in memory of Aaron Riley. Aaron's family and the Hahn family bonded while Mrs. Hahn was recovering in the West Virginia University Hospital. He was just 21 years old and when he was diagnosed with Leukemia on October 5th. He had the first cord blood transplant ever done at the West Virginia University hospital on March 31st. I had the pleasure of meeting Aaron while visiting Ashley and her mother in March 2009. He was so upbeat and hopeful. A truly amazing human being. He sadly passed away on April 26, 2009. My deepest condolences go out to his family.
Aaron with his nurse
Click here for more information on my training and progress with TNT.
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