I wasn't going to run the Chicago Marathon this year.

I wasn't going to run the Chicago Marathon this year.
Then I remembered how amazing it is to cross the finish line on race day knowing that you are changing the course of cancer.

Every time I have crossed a marathon finish line, I have done it knowing that there are a group of survivors and individuals whose families have also been affected by cancer running alongside me.

People who are using this amazing accomplishing of running 26.2 miles (!) to do some good and take a stand in the fight against cancer.

In 2010, this program changed my life.  Finding the American Cancer Society DetermiNation program allowed me to grieve the loss of my grandfather and father to this disease.

Running for the ACS year after year gives me confidence that one day, more people won't have to do the same.

Help me support the American Cancer Society in the fight against cancer and quest for a cure.

I truly appreciate your support.

Andrea

To donate, visit: http://main.acsevents.org/goto/andrea2013


What can your dollars do?

$5 - Cover two hours of toll-free access to the National Cancer Information Center
$13.10 - Provide books like "The Long and Short of It" that help childhood cancer patients cope with the loss of hair during treatment
$26.20 - Purchase a glass Erlenmeyer flask, which allow researchers to mix and/or store different substances, including potentially beneficial drugs, to discover their cancer-related effect
$50 - Sponsor an individual's round-trip ride to treatment through the Road to Recovery program
$100 - Grant a Reach to Recovery visit for a man or woman coping with breast cancer.
$150 - Provide a wig for a cancer patient experiencing hair loss due to chemotherapy treatment
$200 - Obtain 1 package of 50 sheets of X-ray film
$400 - Make wig styling with certified cosmetologist possible for 8 women after their loss of hair
$1,000 - Sponsor a stay at a Hope Lodge, a free, temporary place to stay for cancer patients and their caregivers when their best hope for effective treatment may be in another city

To donate, visit: http://main.acsevents.org/goto/andrea2013

Don't be that awkward runner...

....and other running videos to get me back in the swing of running season!!

 Don't be that awkward runner!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGojEyYBmwc

 The best video of the Chicago Marathon to get you pumped up EVER!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfc6nZkIEQg

I'm a runner.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw5MHsO-JI8

Look at these fantastic shots of the ACS Cookies for a Cure Bake Sale last year with Lambda Chi Alpha at UNL.  Can't wait for Cookies for a Cure 2.0!

http://journalstar.com/lifestyles/community-matters/article_4f2caeb8-65d9-5af7-a807-79255286ae63.html?mode=image&photo=2

AA

Your ACS Dollars At Work

The ACS Staff shared this list with the DetermiNation Committee at our February meeting and I had to share.  It lists the costs of items the ACS provides to the community and it really helps provide a sense of where our research dollars are going.

I know many in the caregiving community know about the "cost of cancer" firsthand.

This is also a great list for people who are considering supporting DNation athletes with a donation.

When you send out emails asking your friends for support, show them this list and ask them to support the ACS with a box of latex gloves or a case of petri dishes for cancer research.

Your Gifts to the ACS at Work

·         $12 – Books like “The Long and Short of It” that help childhood cancer patients cope with the loss of hair during treatment 

·         $25-$45 - Cost of an interpreter for a 10-minute call to 1.800.ACS.2345 (NCIC)

·         $60 - 1 case of latex gloves

·         $120 - 1 case of 144 Petri dishes

·         $150 - 6 glass Erlenmeyer flasks, which allow researchers to mix and/or store different substances, including potentially beneficial drugs, to discover their cancer-related effect

·         $200 - 1 package of 50 sheets of X-ray film

·         $250 - 83 hours of toll-free access to the NCIC

·         $300 – 2 wigs for cancer patients experiencing hair loss due to chemotherapy treatment

·         $350 - 1 Gel Box, which researchers use to isolate DNA and identify differences that may impact cancer diagnosis or treatment

·         $400 – Wig styling with certified cosmetologist for 8 women after their loss of hair. 

·         $500 - Reach to Recovery visits to 5 women

·         $600 – 2000 test tubes used in all facets of cancer research

·         $750 -- 12 round trips for 1 patient via the Road to Recovery program

·         $800 - Cost of Look Good...Feel Better consultations for 4 women

·         $1,000 - Hope Lodge - Expenses for 1 patient for one day

·         $2,000 - 1 new microscope

·         $3,000 - Expenses for 1 patient in an American Cancer Society funded clinical trial

·         $5,000 - Dividing DNA taken from 1,200 cases during the American Cancer Society's Prevention Study 3, which helps researchers understand the genetics of cancer

·         $7,000 – 20 breast prosthetics for patients who have received a lumpectomy or mastectomy after a breast cancer diagnosis. 

·         $10,000 - Develop and produce 1 new web cast story for the Cancer Survivors Network

·         $13,000 – 1000 Personal Health Managers for patients to keep track of all diagnosis, insurance and medical information. 

·         $24,000 - Tell A Friend Materials translated into 4 Asian Languages

·         $100,000 - Behavioral Research Center - 1 Study

·         $885,000 – 3 year Prostate and Colorectal Cancer Survival Study Grant in affect at the University of Chicago from 2010 until 2013

26 (.2) Reasons to Run for the American Cancer Society DetermiNation Program

26 (.2) Reasons to Run for the American Cancer Society DetermiNation Program

1.      This year, 11 million people will hear the words “You have cancer.” And your dollars and race can help the American Cancer Society help them fight back.

2.      The DetermiNation team provides access to *free* team training designed to fit your lifestyle.  We partner with both the Chicago Area Runners Association and Chicago Endurance Sports, as well as offer a virtual training component for out-of-towners.

3.      There may be a personal reason for you wanting to run for a charity – for example if you, a family member, or friend has been affected by cancer. Running for the American Cancer Society may help you feel like you’re doing your bit for the cause that is closest to your heart. It’s often the case that people are motivated by the memory of a loved one – and you might even be able to encourage one of your friends to run for the same charity.

4.      They have seriously over the top race-weekend VIP amenities, which include access to an American Cancer Society tent (which has last minute supplies, TONS of free food, masseuses, ice pools, birthday cake, music, etc.).  It is amazing and it’s a GREAT meeting spot for your friends and family after the race.

5.      The tent also has private gear check changing areas and facilities.  Trust me, the WORST thing to have to face after running 26.2 miles is standing in a line of 44,999 people to get your bag.

6.      You get access to seriously helpful training tips and resources.  We have a ton of veteran runners who can offer unique insight into the Chicago and marathoning in general.  This is just one example of the type of information our coaches can provide: http://determination.acsevents.org/site/PageServer?pagename=DN_FY11_reus_Ask_A_Coach_View_All

7.      You get a mentor!  In addition to the support from the ACS staff and volunteers like me, you get mentor support from coaches and fellow team members who will help you every step of the way.  They send emails to check in, answer questions, and help get you motivated for the big day.

8.      The ACS offers online tools to make achieving your fundraising goals easy and fun. The online fundraising website is amazing.  They have example emails, tools to track who has or has not opened the email, who has visited the website, etc.  It’s kind of like a Facebook page: super easy to set up, a picture and brief space to tell your story, scrolling message board, etc.

9.      The American Cancer Society DetermiNation program has one of the highest percentages of dollar donated rates out there.  For every $1 that is donated, 93 cents goes directly to cancer research and cancer support programs.  This is HUGE.  Last year, in Illinois alone, we provided around 34,000 rides to people who didn’t have cars to get to treatment.  I love knowing where the dollars my marathon will go and what programs they will support.  For more information, check out my post on “Your ACS Dollars at Work.”

10.  You get an exclusive American Cancer Society DetermiNation racing shirt.  You will probably start to notice other runners out on the training runs, on the lake path, at local 5Ks, and out and about sporting their DNation blue.  Getting your blue DetermiNation gear means you are part of something that is bigger than yourself. 

11.  The only thing cooler than saying you are one of the 10% of people in the world who have taken on a marathon and run 26.2 miles is getting to say that you did it for a great cause. 

12.  You can be on a team.  Have a friend who wants to run for DNation or who has been considering running in an endurance race?  You can join as an individual or a team.  If you are on a team, the fundraising averages out so if you raise $1200 and they raise $850, both of your minimums will have been covered.  How cool is that?!

13.  Random people see you’re running for the ACS (if you wear your DetermiNation shirt of course) and shout “Go ACS or Go DNation!” It’s like an emotional energy gel every time you hear it because it reminds you that you are doing this for a GREAT cause.  Plus, having a “team” of 800 on the course feels pretty cool.  I can’t tell you how many times seeing the other DNation athletes around me kept me going.

14.  You get invitations to social events in and around your community leading up to the race.  We offer weekly fun runs throughout the running season, post-race parties, and we do a walk-through of the course and marathon area and coffee before the race on Saturday morning.

15.  You have the opportunity to wear ribbons in support of the people in your life affected by cancer.  As a DetermiNation team member, you have access to as many ribbons as you need.  For me, this is one of the most emotional moments of race day.  When I pin the ribbons on in memory or those I have lost and in honor of those fighting a disease, I know that if they can fight cancer, go through chemo and radiation treatments, and still have the strength to keep on going….I can keep running when I’m a little tired.

16.  There are cheer teams to inspire you along the course.  This is part of where the DNation family really shines.  In addition to the DNation coaches who will be out there to cheer you on throughout the course and in special cheer stations; some coaches will jump in to run with you if you want.  We also have HUGE groups of people out on the course to get you that extra oomph!  There are plenty of DetermiNation cheer signs available at the expo so your family can make as many as they want!

17.  When the idea of going out for a long run or the training in the cold and wet gets old, you might be tempted to give it a miss or even consider pulling out of your race. However, if you know that the DetermiNation team is relying on you, you have extra motivation to make you continue with your training – which may even give you that extra motivation to complete the distance on the big day. 

18.  This is a silly draw, but for marathon and race enthusiasts, you know what a big deal it is…. Carey Pinkowski, Bank of America Chicago Marathon Executive Race Director, always speaks at our Pre-Marathon dinner banquet.  It’s a pretty huge honor that he takes the time to stop by, share tips, and fire the DNation team up the weekend of the biggest event of his year.

19.  Speaking of the Pre-marathon dinner…ours is seriously amazing.  It’s a great opportunity to mingle with other members of DNation, calm your pre-race jitters, and learn more about other DNation team members’ stories. It’s inspiring and a GREAT way to connect with other runners.

20.  Support and ideas for fundraising.  Whether or not you have fundraising experience, don't stress - we have helpful resources, tips, and suggestions that will help you meet (and hopefully exceed!) your goals.  In fact, last summer we developed a list of 100 ways our DNation alumni have fundraised.  We have heard of some pretty creative things and we will happily share these ideas with you to help you reach your goal. 

21.  Some companies and organizations offer corporate matching.  This means, if your company offers it, your dollars for the American Cancer Society can be instantly doubled.  The ACS has a list of corporate matching sponsors.  You can check to see if your company is already on the list, or talk to a staff member about getting them set up if they are willing to sponsor you.

22.  We have awesome incentive prizes for people who have fundraised over the minimum (and trust me, most people do). They range from hats to jackets to radios.  Totally depends on how much you raise.

23.  However much money you raise, just running for the ACS can be a massive help because it raises awareness of the great work they’re doing. 1.5 million people will see you wearing the ACS singlet on race day, and all the friends, family and colleagues who sponsor you will learn more about the cause.

24.  Your fellow DNation runners will be here for you every step of the way!  We have an active Facebook page and Twitter account, are always getting together for spontaneous runs and social events, and we are always happy to meet other runners dedicated to a good cause. 

25.  The American Cancer Society DetermiNation team makes a commitment to you: They’re there to help you achieve things you never imagined you could accomplish. They make a promise to be in your corner throughout your training and your race - just as they are in everyone's corner facing cancer.

26.  It's not just about the race. By joining the DetermiNation team, you're also making an important commitment to the fight against cancer. Your participation will help people stay well, help people get well, help find cures, and help fight back.

26.2.WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU ON OUR TEAM!

Dear Grandpa, after two years

Dear Grandpa,

I am not a religious woman. Neither were you. Well, of course you weren’t. But I mean to say that you weren’t religious either. So this is not a letter TO you, per se, but rather an open letter to you for me. And for anyone who cares to read it.

It is almost impossible to fully articulate all that has happened over the last two years of my life. I still can’t believe it’s been two years. Oddly, it somehow feels like a lifetime ago and like it was just yesterday, all at the same time.

In the days before you succumbed to the cancer you had been battling for 3 ½ years (this time around), we gathered around you. It was hard to believe that in the span of two weeks, we had come to this point.

A phone call in the middle of my Chinese Cooking Class at the Chicago Cultural Center that I should come home. Fast. As in…get in the car and leave immediately if you can. I made it, with barely enough time to catch my breath and go in to the office to see you. But it isn’t you.

This is not the man who taught me the expression “a day late and a dollar short.” I still shudder to think of that day when I realized that your silence was more troubling than any angry outburst I had witnessed over the years. This is not the man who insisted that if I was going to play the flute, it was going to be the top of the line open-key flute with accompanying piccolo. Totally necessary for an eleven-year-old. Or who provided my oft-repeated anecdote about insisting that my 2^nd grade self was going to get LA Kicks with the flashing feels because EVERYONE else in my class had them and you would be damned if your granddaughter would be the only one without them. This is not the man who beamed when he gave me the title “Distribution Marketing Manager” of our family business when I was 14 years old. And subsequently, who taught me that the title was more symbolic and meaningful than the $0.25/hour raise that went along with it.

 
In my last visit home, the last weekend in January and just TWO weeks prior, you were up and walking. It was clear that you were tired, but you mustered up enough energy to walk around at the party and chat with people.

You perked up when my brother and I brought home ice cream. It was probably the first thing you had eaten in days. But we sat and ate ice cream and talked about politics and Libertarianism.

And that was it. That is my last living memory of you. It was simple and sweet. And it was just perfect.

I choose this over the pin-dropping silence, over the eerily touching moment when the family gathered together, over the need to hold each other up because we could no longer stand by ourselves.

I choose to focus on this as my last moment and memory with you because they had nothing to do with cancer. Since that night, nearly every moment of my life has.

Since February 13, 2010, I have dedicated more of my time to one cause than I ever could have imagined.

I have tried (desperately) to make better choices about the people I decide spend my time with. I sometimes fail, but I’m getting there. I still feel like you are playing a trick on me every time the guy I happen to be dating mentions that he is attracted to the Libertarian Party. This has happened 3 times now, by the way. “Of course he is,” I think to myself, “what kind of horrible joke is this, G-pa?!”

I have to laugh every time I come across a photo of us, hoping that it will show the smile I *know* you always had in your heart for me, but knowing that it will have your straight-faced nod of approval.

I have recommitted my life to health and fitness. This is old news by now, but still something that you inspired, in a roundabout way.

I have run three marathons (and counting) in your name.

Sometimes people tell me that you must be proud of me, or that you would be if you were here.

 

If they really knew you, they would know that if you were here to see it, you’d think I was crazy but you would cheer me on, anyway.

I think of you all the time. And how tired you must have been after all of those years of fighting.

I do this for you.  And for all of the other survivors, victims, families, and fighters.

That is why, even when I am tired, I will not give up. Not in a marathon, not in my efforts to fight cancer, not in my support of cancer research.

 

I love you very much.  And I always will.

 

Andrea

Resurrecting my Running Blog for 2012

Lessons learned from 2011:

1.  Do not commit to a blog post a day. You will fail.

2.  Do not commit to a goal unless you have the time to dedicate to it.

3.  Boston or Bust may be a life goal...not a goal to achieve in one season.

4.  Sometime, the goals you accomplish instead of the ones you set out to achieve are more rewarding.

Goals for 2012:

1.  Post when I can.

2.  Run what I can.

3.  Focus on what is important.

Charity Date Auction Update

I had a rather significant series of “mission moments” recently.  Whether you know me well or met me last week, you’ll know that one of the most frequently used words in my vocabulary is “DetermiNation.”  For the last year, I have been running marathons for the American Cancer Society “DNation” program.  After losing my grandfather to colorectal cancer last year, I was inspired to “take on the unthinkable” and run the Chicago Marathon in honor of my grandpa John.  Of course, this was not the first time that I had lost someone close to me to this disease.  My father Danny passed in 2002 when I was 19 years old.  This was the first time, though, that I sought out a healthy way to grieve the loss and actually found a way to do so. 

I ran the Chicago Marathon for DetermiNation in 2010 and immediately signed up for the Mardi Gras Marathon in 2011.  Soon after, I formed a team of athletes dedicated to fighting cancer with every step taken and mile logged to take on the 2011 Chicago Marathon.  Along with 19 friends, family, and outright strangers, I formed the “Magnificent Milers” and set a goal of running 524 miles on October 9, 2011 and raising $20,000 for the American Cancer Society DetermiNation program.  Since February, we have been baking cookies, pouring drinks, and pounding pavement in support of our cause and in hopes that our efforts will help support the ACS find a cure.  

Recently, I was able to serve my mission in a series of unexpected ways.  With the help of numerous people I met along the way, I became a participant in a charity date auction.  The event was put on by my friend Mark Biery, co-founder of LTS-Chicago, an organization that brings together young, charity-minded Chicagoans to participate in sports leagues and other events in support of their cause of choice.  The audience was actually bidding on a package of items and gift certificates put together by the auctionee in support of the charity they represented.  The “date” consisted of talking about the charity and mission over a glass of champagne and a cupcake, fitting since the ACS is the official sponsor of birthdays.

I thought it would be nerve-wracking to stand up in front of strangers, but I knew this would be an amazing opportunity to raise a lot of money for a great cause that I wholeheartedly support.  The night was everything one would imagine it to be, paddles and all.  I spoke with a few attendees before the auction about the baseball tickets, Chocolate tour, and gift certificates that I was able to obtain for my “date” package.  I talked about my reason for running for the ACS and my father and grandfather.  I stood on the stage and watched as dear friends bid way more than they could in support of me and DetermiNation.  Ultimately, the $500 donation came from a man named David which was absolutely amazing.  But participating in the auction resulted in two exchanges that turned out to be much more impactful than I ever could have ever expected.   

Over a cupcake, David told me the story of his little baby girl who had battled and won her fight against a rare form of cancer.   He told me how much he believed in the work we were doing and how thrilled he was to be able to support a cause as worthy as the ACS.  Going home, I was overwhelmed by his sincerity, bravery, and generosity.  The next morning, I stopped to share the good news with my doorman.  As soon as the words came out of my mouth about how well the event had gone, a neighbor walked into the lobby.  She was visibly shaken and my doorman asked her how she was doing.  She turned to me to explain that she had been diagnosed with cancer 5 days prior and that she was a wreck. 

Over the mailbox in my lobby, we talked about her fears and her gut-instinct denial when she heard the words “You have cancer.”  She described a rollercoaster of shock, sadness, and anger.  She talked about losing her hair and getting to the hospital and being alone in the city. We spoke about the ACS resources that I had learned of as a result of my involvement in DetermiNation, like the Ride to Recovery service and the Look Good...Feel Better program.  We talked about other groups with similar missions, support groups, and survivors that I had come across during my time with the program.  We exchanged phone numbers and emails and went on with our respective Saturdays. 

I was stunned.  Like me, she is a tall, blonde, athletic woman.  Like me, she is single and living in Chicago, miles away from her family.  And just like her, my life could change in an instant.

I walked out and felt myself filled with a rejuvenated sense of purpose and an increasingly urgent desire to do more.   I am so grateful to know that these resources exist…for loved ones who have lost someone to this disease, for people currently facing this disease, for survivors celebrating another birthday, and for those wishing to unite and fight back against this disease. 

A special thanks to the survivors in my life for the inspiration, the many friends and family who continually support me in these crazy things I take on, the individuals at LTS and the other auction participants who remind me of all of the good in the world, the strangers like David and my neighbor who sometime offer in the most meaningful reminders of why this work is important, the Magnificent Milers and countless other DNation athletes who are taking on the challenge with me, and the people who will read this and decide to help us achieve a world with less cancer and more birthdays. 

Learn more about my DNation story: http://main.acsevents.org/goto/andrearunschicago

Meet the Magnificent Milers who committed to raising $20,000: http://main.acsevents.org/goto/magnificentmilers

Run (or volunteer for) DetermiNation: http://determination.acsevents.org