VMDiva

I began formal training today for the 10-mile Broad Street Run (Philadelphia) with my new found Team in Training friends at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I ran 2 miles today in horizontal snow working up to my May 2nd 10-miler. I’m not going to lie, it was miserable to have snot dripping from my nose and my lungs scorched from the cold. And did I mention I hate running? But I did it. Let me tell you why.

Over a year ago I met a vibrant sassy 27 year old named Shanna when she began working at my hospital. She was diagnosed with uterine cancer at 16 and underwent chemotherapy. I learned she unexpectedly became pregnant at age 21. She went into preterm labor at six months gestation from complications from her cancer. Six months later, despite the NICU’s best efforts, he died.  She then had a hysterectomy and partial ovariectomy. As if that was not enough grief for one person to bear, flash forward six years and she found herself afflicted with malignant tumors in her remaining ovary. Another surgery and series of body scans cleared her of cancer. She was doing well until about 4 months ago, when she found a painful lump in her breast. Multiple visits to doctors and multiple breast surgeries revealed severe mastitis secondary to Stage 3 Lymphoma in both axillas. This is a crushing blow to everyone who knows her as we anticipate more chemotherapy and surgeries.

Shanna brings join, humor, and life to people around her. In her 4th battle with cancer, she has remained positive and hopeful. She’s still working as she rapidly approaches her surgery date for a single mastectomy and lymph node removal. She’s the reason I committed to running and raising money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. If Shanna can come to work every day with a smile on her face, I can certainly run 10 miles and raise money for this great foundation.

I need your help on multiple levels. First, I need fundraising ideas! If any of you have a practical idea for fundraising, please let me know! I have boxes of candy bars and sweet treats to sell at the office. I am thinking about selling homemade dog biscuits. What else?

More important is the focus on raising funds to benefit cancer patients, for research, and to provide a network of understanding and support for people with blood cancers. If any of you know of a blood cancer victim and feel compelled to donate to LLS, please visit My LLS Site to make a donation! My personal goal is $1000 by race day but I would be proud to surpass that!