<font size="2"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Hi all,</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><br>I hope this email finds you well!<br><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Before you read any further, let's be clear: I am about to hit you up for money. But, I am going to work very hard for your money. I've signed up with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training program to run a FULL marathon. FULL! Am I crazy? Maybe. But I'm still doing it. It's for a cause I care about deeply.</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Over the course of this training season (the marathon is in October), I'll be raising money to support the incredible work the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society does: everything from patient/family support services to groundbreaking research. As you all know I think cancer is stupid. Ridiculously stupid and lame. Since my mother died of breast cancer in 2008, I've been especially disgusted. The sad thing is that I know I'm not alone in being touched by this wretched disease. This email is going out to a LOT of people and I would be surprised to find more than a couple of you who had NOT experienced the indignity, tragedy and loss of cancer.</span></font>
<font size="2"><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"></font>
<div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><font size="2">My fundraising goal is $5000. I know times are tight but ANYTHING you can spare would be an incredible gift. All donations are tax-deductible. <br><br>
</font><font size="2">Please
help me reach or, even better, exceed this goal! <br>
</font>
<div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><font size="2"><br></font></div>
<div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><font size="2">Donate
online. It's a fast and easy process.</font></div>
<div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><font size="2"><span style="border-collapse: collapse;"><a style="color: rgb(148, 46, 6);" href="http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/nikesf10/rmarsha6y1" target="_blank">http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/nikesf10/rmarsha6y1</a></span></font></div>
<div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><font size="2"><br></font></div><font size="2">Also, please check to see if the company you work for has a corporate matching gift program through </font>which they will match the charitable contributions <i></i>made by their employees.<br>
<font size="2"><span></span></font><br><font size="2">I'm dedicating my marathon to two people.<br></font>
<ol>
<li><font size="2">My mother, Harlene Marshall.<br>Mom was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001. She went through 6 months of chemo and surgeries too numerous to recount. She went into remission and got back to the business of living. Though she lived well, she was really never the same after that first bout. She was diagnosed again in 2006 with metastatic breast cancer in the bones and eventually in the liver. She fought with everything she had. Even through the worst of chemo side effects, pain, and exhaustion she was undeterred in her mission to beat this or at least live out a long life tolerating it. She lost that battle after 2.5 years. It's an understatement to say that I miss her. It's unbearable. She was a woman who laughed loudly, was free with her love for family and friends and who spit in the face of adversity. Her greatest gift was that she showed me how to do all of those things. <br>
</font></li><font size="2"><br></font>
<li><font size="2">Frank Petro, father of my dear friends Lizzie & Kaytea, and beloved husband to his wife, Mary Ann<br>Frank had multiple myeloma which is cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow. He was first diagnosed in 1993 when his immune system collapsed. After a mix of traditional and experimental treatments he went into remission and was inspired to live life to its fullest. The cancer reappeared several years later and after a long and brave fight Frank passed in 2007. A truly charismatic man, Frank was charming, passionate, high energy and never did anything small. He is truly missed by all people he touched. </font></li>
</ol><font size="2"><span>Please help me honor their memory and fight for a cure with your donations.<br><br>With love,<br>becca<br><br>P.S. </span></font><font size="2"><span>I
hadn't run a mile since I was 13 before I started training for this and
just this Saturday I ran a full 5 miles. VERY slowly, but 5
nonetheless. Amazing!<br></span></font></div>