Day 42 of...98 Days...New Candles...

We awoke this morning to find six new dedications in the free iPhone app "Light The App". Four submissions are from within the United States (New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee) and two international dedications. It's very touching to see the heartfelt sentiments. For those who have friends and family members affected by blood cancers, we hope that this simple act of posting a dedication and lighting a virtual candle thereby expressing a wish for health or remembrance, can in some small measure ease their burden and give them a little additional comfort.

Day 41 of...98 Days...Passing through...

My nephew is here this evening.  He just graduated, packed up his things and decided to head out to Colorado.  His car is stuffed to the brim and he is so excited and ready to start his new life.  He is stopping by and spending the night or maybe even two days before he makes his way. We have been talking all night laughing about silly things and listening to his dreams of snowboarding a huge passion for him and how he would love to find the perfect job to keep him funded while he is out there.

His first stop was Louisville visiting his Grandmother (my Mom) and little did he realize he also became a courier of passing the envelopes she and her team completed and now while my nephew and I are catching up I am busy stuffing the delivered envelopes for our next round of "Ask" letters.  I was letting him know that I believe this campaign can make a difference and every dollar can help.  I told him I just didn't want to see another life lost from blood cancer.  That every 10 minutes we lose someone to this devastating disease and we just need to find a cure.  I told him about Tressa our honoree and what a wonderful brave soul she was and we can't let this happen again.  He then pulled out his wallet and handed me a donation so he too could help.  I couldn't help but smile.  I immediately put it in one of the envelopes so we can send it in to the campaign.

Yes I think if I could just talk and keep talking to people as they pass on through we can all make a difference $1.00 at a time.

Day 40 of...98 Days...It's Here Light The App

I am so excited to announce that Light The App is now available for free in the iTunes store and ready for download.  It was very important to our team that we develop this app a community that honors friends and family members who have been or are affected by leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. After downloading this free app you will be able to create a dedication and light a candle for someone special in your life.  And then you can carry that with you as well as share it with others.  And once downloaded Light The App you can make as many dedications as you want and view them anytime those you've written as well as all dedications in the app.

It's our gift to you and The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society that is beyond this fund-raising campaign.  It also gives anyone the opportunity to help those living with blood cancers when you click "Donate to LLS" in the app. The donation you make will help continue to make a difference in the quality of life of those battling with leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. That secure online tax-deductible donation will help fund lifesaving research, education, and patient services while providing help and hope to thousands.

It's free and it's available and hopefully with every candle lit we will get that much closer to funding research and finding the cure so let's Light The App and please help us spread the word.

Day 39 of...98 Days...Flooded

Today we were flooded.  We got word of our first possible Corporate Sponsor who is considering a sizable gift to the fundraising campaign for which we are so incredibly grateful.  In order to hit that $50,000.00 we have to raise $800 a day from donors of all gift levels.  With that generous gift we are right on track toward our goal.

I also heard recently from the wonderful students at The Hutson School who used this campaign as their own fund-raiser is on track to donating $200.00.  How do you even begin to thank young children who rise to such an occasion to help others that are fighting for their life? What incredible examples they are for so many and I am extremely grateful to them for their hard work.

Then there was the news that we might have solidified our first event and details will hopefully be coming soon.

We even saw the green light we are getting closer in the iTunes store with Light The App I should know in 24 hours so stay tuned.

So when I came home to see my basement flooded and a sump pump gone bad I am still smiling because it's still been a great day of fund-raising news.  A sump pump replaceable a life not so much and we made headway today of raising dollars toward a campaign that can that could change the life of many by funding research and finding a cure for blood cancers.

So let flood of good news (only) continue!  

Day 38 of...98 Days...Simply bombarded

Every day each one of us is bombarded by messages.  Just think about it everywhere you turn from the moment you wake up to the time you go to bed and some estimates project that it is over 4000 messages a day.  With all the clutter what messages get through and what ones do you pay attention to?

I think it all boils down to what is most important and of interest everything else is like the Charlie Brown teacher speaking and you could just ignore it.  So how does one break through the noise and make themselves heard.  Well through different channels of networks hoping the message sinks in.  And you repeat that message using varying language and thoughts so at some point you strike a chord with someone break through the clutter and someone takes notice and ultimately take action.

So with each post as we approach the height of the campaign to raise awareness I just want others to know $1 can make a difference to the fight of funding research and finding a cure for blood cancers.  With 900,000 lives in the balance and losing one every ten minutes every donation counts.  So how did I do tonight did I break through?  http://in.mwoy.llsevent.org/pledge/index.cfm?mid=PAM

Day 37 of...98 Days...The Puzzle

Why do people like puzzles?  For me its Sudoku puzzles.  I enjoy working on one in the morning to jump start my mind for the day and then right before turning in for the night I do another to completely relax so I can sleep.  The puzzle seems to attract those who are drawn to the idea that there is no gray area and answers are very black and white, that is either you solve it or you don't. Period. It's challenging. You can have several attempts before solving it and that's the key, the answer is there - you just have to figure it out.

Most people like the surety that the answer is right in front of them and it's quite unnerving when it is not. There in lies the total frustration of blood cancers - there are no black and white answers, yet for the cure.  For instance - why does it touch the lives of those so young and are there things you can do to avoid it? Today, unfortunately, both answers are 'unknown living in the gray area'.  You can live a very healthy life and still be affected with this devastating disease.  It doesn't discriminate against age in other words you can be only 7 or 70 and still get touched. We need to find out those answers and to solve this puzzle but more information is needed and the only way is through more research. And that research can be funded with yours and my help.  Without it one brutal answer is clear and that is for sure more deaths are certain one every 10 minutes in fact. 

Help me find the answer and remove the gray area even if it's funded $1.00 at a time.  http://in.mwoy.llsevent.org/pledge/index.cfm?mid=PAM

Day 36 of... 98 Days... The Back Story

It seems that so many of the Olympians I have been watching have a unique back story.  One where some twist of fate or turn occurred and put them on an unexpected path.  Where once they were at the peak of their performance and then they hit rock bottom either injury or something else and then their fight back and against all odds they climb their way out of it and they are on top again.  As a spectator getting just a little glimpse of their life and struggles you find yourself cheering them on wanting them to win because you believe they deserve it. And it always seems to be a happy ending.

So consider Tressa our honoree. She had a very similar story where she in her own right was at the top of the world in college and then out of nowhere started not to feel well. Leukemia had over taken her body and took her by storm.  She and her family travelled down an unknown path where they believed there would be a happy ending.  Tressa fought and she battled back with courage and all the strength she could muster. She fought again and again and it would return again and again until finally the relentless unchecked disease weakened her to the point that she just couldn't rebound one last time.  It touches your heart in ways you never imagined because you can imagine what a wonderful young woman she was with so much untapped potential and there is no bringing her back.

That's why I am doing this campaign. I want to rewrite the inevitable ending to the story of others diagnosed.  If people can join the campaign we can raise money to fund research and find a cure.  This way the ending is different and because those battling deserve to win and have us cheer as they become survivors who are back on top and victorious.  Won't you join me? http://in.mwoy.llsevent.org/pledge/index.cfm?mid=PAM