A little over a year ago, a very good friend of our daughters was diagnosed with cancer. In a short 9 months, Brianna finished the race strong but ultimately lost her battle with the disease. As a father, watching a child’s life cut short was heartbreaking. It’s hard for me to even write about it.
I’ve formed a team for the Relay for Life in Bolingbrook to make a small contribution and maybe help one more child enjoy another birthday and I’m asking for your support.
In the 2 minutes it takes to make a donation to my American Cancer Society Relay For Life® team, you can help me and my team save lives – and improve the quality of life for people who have cancer.
The American Cancer Society invests much-needed funds raised through Relay For Life® to save lives from cancer. They’ll use your donation to:
• Help people stay well by educating them on ways prevent cancer or detect it early, when it’s most treatable.
• Help people get well with FREE hands-on support through every step of their cancer experience.
• Find cures by funding groundbreaking research that helps us understand cancer’s causes, determine how best to prevent it, and discover new ways to cure it.
• Fight back by working with lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and rally communities worldwide to join the fight.
Every donation really does make a difference. Please visit my personal Relay for Life page to make a secure, tax-deductible online donation.
If it’s easier to spread your donation over several months, you can do that by choosing a “sustaining gift” option. Thank you for joining me in this effort. I will keep you updated on my progress.
To learn more about Relay For Life®, please visit RelayForLife.org
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This is my favorite time of year. It has nothing to do with the change of seasons. Nothing to do with pumpkins, Halloween goblins, and all that.
The Iceman is coming!
“What’s the Iceman”, you ask?
Iceman is a 27-mile point to point mountain bike race that I’ve done nearly every year for the past 20 years. It’s held in the first week of November, regardless of the weather, and I’ve done it in wind, rain, snow, and less frequently, warm sunny temps. It draws over 2000 participants to Michigan’s North Woods as one of the largest races in the US.
It’s one of those things that for both me and my family has created good memories that will last a lifetime. It’s one of those examples of how fitness has made a difference in my life and why I have a passion for helping others improve their fitness so they can create their own memories.
I’ve written about the Iceman before on this blog and in two separate magazines in the Chicago area and Michigan. Since it’s coming up this week I thought I’d share that story with you again.
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Our daughter’s friend Brianna is one of twelve brave kids who have battled, or are battling brain cancer and who have created holiday cards for The Cure Starts Now.
Help honor them, and all children fighting brain cancer, by purchasing these holiday cards. Each pack includes 15 cards with one of each of the designs. (Brianna’s has a snowman and a Christmas tree
The Cure Starts Now 2009 Holiday Cards
on a blue background). The inside includes a message “May the spirit of the holidays bring you hope and happiness.” Envelopes lined with silver foil are included.
Proceeds go directly towards The Cure Starts Now which helps families battling brain cancer and funds pediatric brain cancer research. Help a worthy cause and spread holiday cheer!
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The 13 year old kid across the street used to be outside all the time riding his bike and attempting tricks on his skateboard. He hasn’t been out much lately. I saw him the other day and my first thought was “wow, he’s adding on some weight”. (Yes, Jeremy, I’m talking about you!)
I saw him again today and he was on a scooter. But here’s the problem: It was an electric scooter.
He stopped riding the bike.
He stopped riding the skateboard.
He’s adding on weight (and it’s not muscle).
He’s riding an electric scooter.
Something tells me the extra weight’s not a coincidence. It even has a seat so he doesn’t have to wear himself out by standing!
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of children ages 6-19 that are overweight or obese has tripled since 1980. Children who are overweight or obese have a 70 percent change of carrying that weight problem through adulthood.
School’s almost out. Don’t let them sit behind the Wii and call it exercise. Send your kids outside this summer. Please.
If you need a few ideas for things to do outdoors with your kids, check out Chicago Wilderness
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Our oldest daughter, Rachael, has a friend who needs your help. Brianna Sharp was diagnosed last fall with a form of cancer known as Brainstem Glioma. She’s a strong girl and has great support and love from her family and friends. The family is working with doctors from Childrens’ Memorial and St. Jude, among other hospitals, to treat the disease.
You can help too by keeping Brianna and her family in your prayers. Learn more about Brianna and her fight at www.curebrianna.com
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Since we’ve opened our business, I haven’t had as much time to pursue one activity that I’ve done in the past, and that’s Adventure Racing. I’ve had the good fortune to have been involved in races as short as a few hours to as long as eight days.
One that brings back the most incredible memories for me was the Four Winds USA Adventure. The race was held in August 2002 in the Wasatch Range, just outside Salt Lake City.
If you’re interested, read on.
(Be ready, it’s a long race and a long story, but it’s fun!)
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