I am by no means a solitary person. I never go to the movies alone, I always run errands with friends, and my cubicle at Partners Mortgage is perfect for people watching. So when our CEO, Dan Trinidad, announced a company initiative last year for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training, I boarded the bandwagon. I wasn’t a runner, I was terrified of fundraising, and I thought electrolyte tabs were for hippies – but the idea of participating in an endurance event as a team sport brought out the social addict in me. Plus, good karma dictates you shouldn’t say no to an opportunity to make progress towards finding a cure for cancer.

Progress ended up being a huge understatement.  With two offices, 20 participating employees and friends, we raised over $100,000 in 2011 and funded a research grant at Cornell University, in honor of Mindy Trinidad who lost her battle with AML (Acute Myeloid Leukemia). In true team spirit, we wore matching shirts on the plane to our event, took enough goofy photos at the hotel to embarrass ourselves on facebook for weeks, and still proudly sport purple throughout the year. We had reached what Dan once called the BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal), and we had done it together.
 
That could have been the end of it — one corporation, one season, one grant, one contribution to the cure. But it turns out that was just the beginning. We heard Dan was thinking bigger for 2012, but no one knew how big. You ever heard of the expression “Go Big or Go Home?” Dan’s vision made me consider retiring my running shoes and go into hibernation for a year. He announced that while $100,000 was great progress, there was still a ton of work to be done and more research to be funded. He laid down his goal for this year: a whopping $250,000.

For weeks we whispered it, tried to keep it a secret, and even pretended it didn’t exist. But, once those words spilled from our lips, we were committed…and we were terrified. Being in a tumultuous business for 23 years means you get very good at creatively adapting and overcoming challenges. Dan realized that if we were going to make true progress and attain a goal of a quarter of a million dollars, we weren’t going to do it alone. If one company could fund one researcher, what could 2 or 3 companies do?

Partners For A Cure has grown from Partners Mortgage alone, to include Wells Fargo and DCA Capital Partners. Soon after, the Fed Ex delivery guy for Partners Mortgage San Jose joined, followed by a lender partner, a title company, and a local manager of a designer purse store.
 
As of May 4thd of this year we have (80) teammates and $189,711.17 earned . .. And we aren’t done yet. The First Annual Partners For A Cure Golf Tournament will be held on May 24th at Cinnabar Hills in San Jose. In the true spirit of collaboration, Partners Mortgage will be joined by employees of our business partners, members of the local community, client advocates, and even some of our competition. You are invited to participate too!

This collaboration exists because a cure will not come from one researcher, one institution, one drug, or one company. No one will arrive at the day when no more lives are lost to blood, bone, or related cancers alone. We will get there together, and together can be defined as big as you want it to be. I used to think of together as a few of us chatting at my desk, a few of us working on a project, or a few of us running at the track. Now I think of together as more people than can fit in one room, one endurance event, or one company.

Together, we will continue in our journey for a cure. We will grow together, as big as we need to, until blood and bone cancers stop taking lives. Just imagine, not if, but WHEN a cure is found…how many of us will be there celebrating?  Together, we will find out.

For additional details about the First Annual Partners for a Cure Golf Tournament, visit http://svmb.golf.llsevent.org/. For information about getting your company invloved with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, email kimberlli.walker@lls.org. 
 

Last Friday, Team Adobe showed their spirit by hosting “Karaoke For A Cure.” Several hundred employees came out to sing their best renditions of their favorite tunes, with all of the excitement supporting the Pineapple Classic 5k and Team In Training.

Does all that singing have you thirsty? No worries. ALO Drinks will be presenting their new Coco Exposed ALO juice drink at the Pineapple Classic 5K! These delicious beverages include a line of coconut water infused with aloe vera and pineapple. Honest Tea will also be presenting a variety of their thirst quenching iced tea drinks.

And for those looking for a bit of relaxation after the big event, we’ve got you covered too! Team Clinic, a major Team In Training partner, will also be there with three private tents set-up and ready to provide sports massage to participants.

There’s still time to join us for the fun and excitement of the Pineapple Classic 5K on June 9 at Joseph D. Grant County Park! You will have fun. You will get dirty. You will save lives. For more information or to sign up, visit our website or email Meghan.Heath@lls.org.

For more updates on the Pineapple Classic 5K, follow us on Twitter and Facebook!

The Nike Women’s Marathon, a Race to Benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), is an extraordinary event that takes place in San Francisco each October to celebrate power of women. LLS’s Team In Training (TNT) provides participants with the support and inspiration they need to cross the finish line.

Jean & Aimee at the 2011 Nike Women’s Marathon

For South Bay Walk Team participant, Jean Eagle, and her daughter, Aimee Weiher, training with TNT to prepare for this exciting event holds very special meaning, especially this Mother’s Day.

Jean came to TNT after her mother, Mary Reagan, was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) in 2006. “TNT has been such a wonderful support group,” said Jean. “After my mother was diagnosed with leukemia, I received something in the mail for TNT and decided to go to an informational meeting. When we were asked who had a personal connection to the cause, I burst into tears. Coach Deb came over to me and said gently, ‘you’ll get your support here.’ She was right.”

TNT prepares participants to run or walk marathons, half marathons, triathlons, 100-mile bike rides and hike adventures. In return, they raise money to help beat cancer and provide critical services to patients and their families.

For the second year in a row, Jean and her daughter, Aimee, will walk the Nike Women’s Marathon as members of TNT as a special way to honor Jean’s mother, who ultimately lost her battle with CLL in December 2008.

The experience of training together has been incredibly meaningful for both women. Aimee notes, “My mom and I have always been close, but TNT helped us bond in a very different way. She has been my rock, mentor and friend through the entire process. For us specifically, this experience has been a wonderful opportunity to remember my Nana and celebrate what an awesome lady she was.”

For Jean, training with her daughter “has been such an amazing experience. I got to know her on a completely different level. I was no longer just her mother. We were teammates, and over those long miles I got to see her as an adult and how she operates out in the world – and not through my ‘mother’ eyes.”

This October, Jean & Aimee will take to the streets of San Francisco with thousands of other women who will walk or run the Nike Women’s Marathon. For these remarkable ladies, the experience will be a celebration of sorts. Aimee says, “Through TNT, I have been able to celebrate my Nana’s life and legacy. I have been able to celebrate the supportive, loving and fun relationship I have with my mom. I have been able to celebrate my accomplishments and those of my teammates. I have been able to celebrate making new friends and being a part of an organization that has done so much for those who have been affected by blood cancers. Above all, I have learned that there is always a reason to celebrate! No matter how many miles I have left, how much more fundraising I need to do before meeting my goal, I get to walk. That’s awesome!”

TNT teams are forming now for the Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco on October 14, as well as other marathon, half marathon, triathlon, cycling and hiking events. For more information, call (800) 446.9460 or visit www.teamintraining.org/sj.

On Sunday, May 27, the local soccer giants will host the Inaugural Earthquakes 5K/10K Challenge. The event will feature a 10K race, 5K fun run and 1K kids run that will start and end at the site of the new Earthquakes stadium on Coleman Avenue in San Jose. Racers will receive a T-shirt, voucher to a future Earthquakes game and access to our post-race celebration area.

The Earthquakes have generously extended a special registration discount for LLS! To save 15% on registration for the Earthquakes 5K/10K Challenge, enter discount code “LLS” at checkout. To register, visit QuakesChallenge.com.

In other Quakes news…

On Saturday, June 30, the Quakes will play an MLS match at Stanford Stadium. They will be hosting David Beckham and the LA Galaxy and producing a post-game fireworks show. To save $10.00 on tickets for the Quakes game at Stanford, click here. All prices currently reflect the discounted price.

LLS invites you to show your support for these exciting Earthquakes events, just as Team Earthquakes has shown valuable support of our mission to cure blood cancers and improve the quality of life for patients and their families.

To learn more about LLS’ research and patient services, visit lls.org.

Now that the pain of my first marathon has subsided, I’ve had a chance to reflect on the season.

First, the life lessons I’ve learned:

Showing up is 90% of life.
When I first started with Team in Training (TNT), a lot of people gave me the same piece of advice: show up for everything. Track workouts, group runs, solo runs, cross-training — everything. Sometimes, the reason was obvious (running stadium stairs), other times not so much. (“Do we HAVE to do all those push-ups?”)

Achieving a larger-than-life goal is transformational.

Doug and TNT Participant, Emily Roberts on a wet & windy 20 mile run.

I didn’t realize how humbling of a journey it would be. We had honorees at our group runs to talk about what they had to endure to beat cancer. With that reminder, training for a marathon seemed like a piece of cake. When I crossed the finish line after 26.2 miles, I was no longer the same person who joined TNT five months ago.

(Watch a video of our honorees and the fun we had training: http://vimeo.com/37152374)

Everything is easier with a good support system.
Last November, I could barely run 4 miles. Who was I to think I could run a marathon five months later? But I had faith that all the good folks at TNT would get me ready. A huge “thank you” goes out to all of the volunteers who helped me: captains, my mentor, coaches, and all of the heroes who manned water stops — even on those cold, wet days. There’s no way that I could’ve done it without every one of you.

To all of my fellow participants, you were invaluable. I won’t try to name everybody because I know I’d forget someone. You know who you are.

The big day–a newbie’s perspective:
It was all very surreal. After taking a deep breath in front of the mirror, I stepped out of my hotel room at 3:30 a.m. A small convoy of buses waited in the dark to take us athletes to the start line. As I boarded, I thought, “There’s no going back now.”

Keeping up with teammate, Cam Karr

I felt totally out of place, but that feeling didn’t last long. We killed an hour or so at the start line laughing, reflecting on the season, and generally trying to keep warm. When we finally lined up in the staging area for a 6:00 start, I saw a man in front of me wearing a sign on his back that said “Blind.” Next to him was a woman wearing a sign that said “Guide.” They were holding either end of a thera-band. Every time during the run when I wondered if I could keep going, I thought about them. If they could do it, I wasn’t about to let some temporary pain stop me.

Let’s do it again!

Sweet success!

If you asked me right after the marathon whether I was going to do it again, I probably would’ve hit you…but after I got back to the hotel and soaked in an ice-bath, I can say with certainty that I’ll be back next year–in better shape and more ready than ever for the hills…

Congratulations, Doug, on your great accomplishment! GO TEAM!

If you or someone you know is interested in joining the Team, registration is now open for TNT’s Fall Season. To learn more, attend a local information meeting or informational webinar , give us a call at 800.446.9460 or email sjtntinfo@lls.org

The Race Across America is an epic, 3000-mile bicycle race from the Pacific to the Atlantic. First held in 1982, RAAM is considered the most challenging sporting event in the world. Top riders finish in less than 10 days, riding over 300 miles per day and sleeping only a few hours per night. Only a couple hundred athletes have ever finished solo RAAM, and fewer than 30 of them are women. With little prize money at stake, the fundamental goal of the race is simply to finish, a challenge half of all riders fail to meet.

Participating in RAAM this June, Joan Deitchman has organized a special screening of “Bicycle Dreams” on Wednesday May 9th at 7pm at Los Altos High School’s Eagle Theatre. 　Following the film, there will be a panel discussion and Q&A with several solo RAAM finishers, as well as a prize drawing. Keep in mind, Joan has fundraised about $9,500 for LLS through this event.
　
To learn more about Bicycle Dreams, visit their site here.

Tickets are available online for $15, and a portion of proceeds will benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

We hope to see you there!

For individuals facing a cancer diagnosis, the sheer volume of information out there can be overwhelming. Between online research, news articles and input from friends and family, knowing where to start when thinking about a treatment plan can seem next to impossible.

LLS is proud to offer a variety of patient education programs, like the one below, to help make this uncharted terrain a little less daunting. If you or someone you know is currently living with cancer, please join us to learn more about making informed choices about treatments and clinical trials. 

PRESENTED BY:

Laura Stampleman, MD, Pacific Cancer Care
& John Andrews, Health Advocate & Clinical Trials Participant

Spanish Translation Available Upon Request

Thursday, May 10, 2012, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Salinas Country Club
475 San Juan Grade Road, Salinas
Call (831) 449-6617 for directions
Complimentary dinner will be served.

Topics covered:

• Steps to take to help you make treatment decisions
• Questions to ask about benefits and risks of standard treatments and treatments under study in clinical trials
• How new blood cancer treatments are developed and approved
• How to sort out the myths from the facts about clinical trials
• How to locate clinical trials that may be right for you
• How The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society can help

Pre-registration for this free program is required. Please contact Lisa McGrath Lisa.McGrath@lls.orgor call 408.490.3123 to register.

For more information, assistance for people with disabilities or grievances, please contact Lisa McGrath at 408.490.3123.

Supported by grants from Celgene Corporation and Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Because health and wellness are high priorities for Adobe employees, and health and wellness are things that LLS and TNT know so well, we are proud to have recently added another layer to this incredible partnership – the Wednesday Wellness Walks. 

As part of their overall wellness strategy, Adobe’s Wednesday Wellness Walks are hosted on their San Jose campus and are led by TNT coaches. They offer employees an opportunity to get out from behind their desks and get their bodies moving.

Over 40 Adobe employees are enjoying these weekly walks and taking valuable steps toward health and fitness as a benefit of Adobe’s partnership with LLS. And the excitement continues to grow as Adobe provides incentives such as free lunch and fitness items to generate buzz and build participation!

LLS is grateful for Adobe’s partnership in finding cures for blood cancers and honored to be a part of their health and wellness solution. Go Team Adobe!

Interested in bringing LLS & TNT to your company? For more information about participation, sponsorship and corporate health and wellness solutions, email Heidi.Wolcott@lls.org.

Happy National Volunteer Week!!

This week, we are celebrating those who help us save lives every day! The individuals who volunteer for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) – by participating Team In Training (TNT) and Light The Night, supporting our School In Youth programs, fundraising to become Man or Woman of the Year, running family support groups, serving on a local board, or providing valuable office support– play a key role in helping blood cancer patients and their families.

To mark National Volunteer Week, April 15-21, 2012, we would like to recognize all of our local volunteers for their hard work and dedication.

“This is a great opportunity to show these volunteers how important they are to the patients and families that we serve,” said Jennifer Fagerstrom, Field Director. “We are so grateful for their energy, compassion and enthusiasm and we want to share our appreciation for their outstanding work.”

Indeed, volunteers play many key roles at the chapter. Among our local superstars are:

Stefania Chirita & Leslie Zenner, who both provide administrative support to multiple local LLS campaigns.

Jack Aiello, a myeloma survivor, who not only supports operations for TNT, but also volunteers with the First Connection program, a peer-to-peer program that links newly diagnosed patients and their families with trained volunteers who have been touched firsthand by a blood cancer and shared similar experiences.

 John Andrews, an honored patient who has provided invaluable support to LLS as a First Connection Volunteer, LLS Ambassador and advocate. John is also a source of inspiration for many of the participants in TNT and Light The Night events.

Anne Heideck & Suzanne Lambert, who co-facilitate the LLS monthly support group for adult patients with blood cancers and their family and friends at Stanford Cancer Center.

Chris Walker, who lends his energy and enthusiasm to support TNT. Over the past eight years, Chris has helped to inspire fellow TNT members to achieve their personal best while finding cures for blood cancers.

Angelica Teng, who generated community support and awareness for LLS as an Intern for the Community HEROs Program.　

A big, heartfelt thank you to all of our volunteers. Your support brings us closer to a to a cure for blood cancer! We appreciate each and every one of you.

Interested in volunteering for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society? For more information, contact Sean Fallon at (408) 490-3129 or by email at Sean.Fallon@lls.org.

Elise recently set out on a bold mission of her own, to learn exactly what LLS is doing to find a cure for her disease. Elise decided to interview folks from across LLS including a researcher, Team In Training coaches, a Light The Night participant, even her own parents!
                    

We are incredibly proud to note that the video, “Intrepid Elise,” has been nominated for a People’s Choice Telly Award! The Telly Awards are  premier awards honoring the finest film and video productions, groundbreaking web commercials, videos and films, and outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs.

With your vote, LLS and SVB can not only win this award, but support Elise in her goal to raise awareness about how blood cancer affects our communities. Please take a moment to watch Elise’s story.

To vote: All you need to do is give the video a thumbs up. And just like that, you will help raise awareness around finding a cure for blood cancers. We ask that you also share it with your friends and ask them to do the same. We guarantee you’ll fall in love with Elise and her story!

To learn more about Elise’s journey and to see her newest interviews visit her Facebook!