Shout Outs

I think some shout-outs are a good thing to do here. If you make a donation and would NOT like me to crow from the roof-tops about you, let me know and I'll keep your gifts on the down-low between you and me.

If, however, you don't mind me sharing the love, I'd love to love you out loud. So, I have to say:

• Thanks Mom & Pop for the first 1%. That's a great way to kick things off. I like your math.
  
• Thanks also to John Anderson, college prof/mentor/right-up-there-with-parents (what-with all the knowledge and guidance since our first debate on campus __ years ago).
• Thanks to Aunt Barb & Uncle Mark whose presents of Xmas '07 & Bday '08 have been allocated to the cause. I put that money there by check, so it's taking a little longer to show up on the tally.

Progress Report: Working out is hard. I mean fun. And by "fun" I mean "hard".

Training status. We work out as a both a team and individuals. We’ve been going at it for a few weeks now and I’ve been a little shy to talk about it as pride is a factor: I want to do the well and am afraid that my best won’t be good enough.

Now, pride’s out the window and it’s pedal to the metal folks. As a team we meet on Tuesdays for technique exercises and Saturday mornings for longer runs in Central Park. There are individual workouts on other days of the week. Have you noticed that here in the northern hemisphere it’s winter? It’s cold out. I’m not complaining. I’m not bragging. I’m just saying. Cold. Also, there’s cardio exercise involved. I hear that’s good for a person, but, oh goodness, that leaves a girl tired.

I like to pair up with a teammate who doesn’t mind my pace so we can cheer each other on when the idea of walking instead of running is appealing. This week my co-worker Aayesha, aka Rock Star, kept my pace up and my legs moving. Also, she’s nice to talk to as we make our rounds in the park. It was a good workout. After that, it was a great day. I’ve got my family, my health, my friends—I’m a lucky girl. But at the end of the day, I tired!

Please share this donation letter

Please feel free to share this message: cut-n-paste this into an email or print it out - any thing you to can do to help spread this message is appreciated!

Dear Friends, Family, And Colleagues:

To the point: I am running a marathon to raise money for cancer research and I am asking for your support. It is the end of the year and a wonderful opportunity to make your donations count (doubly or even more if your company has a gift matching program). It is the holiday season and gift giving is a joyful thing, especially when a gift can be so generous as to benefit both the receiver and a greater good. No matter how or why you may donate to this cause, you can’t lose-- and someone else has a chance at a win of beating cancer.

Now, to tell you a little more about what I am doing and how this works: When my best friend’s younger brother got married this past year, his wife was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer just days later. “In sickness and in health…” – no truer words were spoken. I followed their journey everyday as they updated their blog, where they let family and friends know the ups and downs of treatment and how they could be helped. Stephanie West has not only survived the difficult treatment, she has survived cancer. She used to be a runner and told me recently she’s not sure if she’ll be up to that again. I believe she will, but in the mean time… I’ll run for her instead.

I am running for Stephanie West- I will be running the Rome Marathon with Team in Training, the fundraising arm of the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. Over the next few months I will be out in Central Park in the cold, wearing my shoes out. Also, I will be out among friends, family and colleagues doing everything I can to raise $5,900 (or more!) for this cause.

Since its inception twenty years ago, Team in Training has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for blood cancer research. What does that money do? Twenty years ago the survival rate for these types of cancer was less than ten percent. Now, the survival rate is near NINETY percent. That’s the kind of good that can be done. But I won’t give up on the marathon at any point less than 26.2 miles and we won’t stop fighting battle until the survival rate is this: everyone lives. Of the money being raised three-quarters goes directly to blood cancer research and patient support- the last portion goes to overhead costs.

There are many ways to give: the easiest way is through this shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/runchelrun, which will direct you to my fundraiser website. You may also write checks made out to The Leukemia Lymphoma Society and mail them- email me at chel_oreilly@yahoo.com to request that address. And feel free—especially please do—forward this to other people in your life that they may be moved to donate as well. The help of every and any person is greatly appreciated.

If you want to cheer me on or see how sore I am after practices I will be periodically updating a blog about my experiences and progress too. That’s at http://runchelrun.blogspot.com

I cannot thank you enough. And there are others who are even more grateful than I can say.

All the best to you and yours this holiday season,
Chel O’Reilly

chel_oreilly@yahoo.com
602-432-8611

Running a Marathon for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society

Hello,

My name is Chel O’Reilly and I am training to run the Rome Marathon with Team in Training and in so doing will be logging a few hundred miles on my sneakers and will be raising almost $6,000 for The Leukemia Lymphoma Society. Here I will be chronicling that journey. You help by leaving me cheerful messages and donating at my LLS website, I’ve made a shortcut link: http://tinlyurl.com/runchelrun

I’m scared, overwhelmed, and up early every Saturday morning* just to makes sure that others who have more to be scared and overwhelmed about than myself can have it easier. I will do this in their honor. My grandmother and uncle succumbed to Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) within a few months of each other; Stephanie West survived Hodgkin's Lymphoma, having been diagnosed a just days after marrying my best friend’s brother. I’m running in honor of those who have lost and those who have won.

Almost anyone can think of a family member or friend who has had to battle a blood-related cancer. If you could donate in honor of those people, you too can do something good for those who have lost and won.

Donations are best made through our secure website link above but may also be mailed in. Please email me for directions on how to do that.

All the best to you and yours this holiday season and thank you,
Chel O’Reilly
Motivated marathon runner and LLS enthusiast

*not just Saturdays, but that’s the morning for which I forfeit my Friday nights (sigh)