Day One…of 98 Days

Am I crazy? What was I thinking? Can I really do all of this? With a full time job and my daughter’s wedding this year, can I fit in the management of a campaign to raise big funds for LLS? Then again, how could I say no to playing a role, albeit small, but then again – my part, in finally, completely, defeating this killer – Leukemia and Lymphoma?

These are some questions echoing in my mind as I contemplated this journey.

The Back story
A few weeks ago I was nominated for the LLS program: Man and Woman of the Year, the national campaign wherein community representatives are recruited to conduct a condensed two month campaign starting in February to raise donations toward the research and cure of blood cancers.

So why in the world would I accept this challenge and add this to an already 55 – 65 hour week? I just couldn’t say no because of a wonderful family I have gotten to know and grown to love. They are the parents of Tressa, a wonderful girl who was diagnosed with leukemia in April 2004 then eight short months later lost her hard fought battle to the insidious disease. There is not a day that goes by that the family is not reminded of the loss of their precious daughter. I want to honor her fight by raising money for this disease and making sure this never happens again.  This is very close to my heart you see this summer’s wedding of my daughter and Tressa’s younger cousin Tyler should be the second marriage in the family, instead it is the first and Tressa’s  younger sister, Brooke, will be one of the bridesmaids.

Over the next 97 days I will share more about Tressa’s story and why I am compelled to take on this additional challenge to prevent more tragedies like hers. I don’t want to see another child suffer; I don’t want another family realize that they have lost the fight and are forced to bring their daughter home to spend her last few days of life saying goodbye to loved ones. It’s time for a cure!

I'll introduce to you our four person campaign team who are all incredibly dedicated to the cause and share our ideas through this blog, Twitter and Facebook so you can witness firsthand all that we will do.

So perhaps I am a little crazy for taking this on but maybe that will be what it will take to raise the necessary dollars to research and find a cure!