Fun Facts Friday: The History Of Triathlon

Triathlon is becoming a very popular endurance sport. From youth triathlons to Ironman events, more and more people are becoming addicts. The combination of swimming, cycling and running makes it appealing to people of every age. Following is a brief history of this interesting sport...

Triathlon began on September 25, 1974 in Mission Bay, California when Jack Johnstone and Don Shanahan worked with the San Diego Track Club to host the event. It consisted of a 6 mile run, 5 mile bike ride, and 500 yard swim.

Interestingly, the sport these two created was given the name "triathlon" because it involved three combined sports. But when Don ordered trophies to give to the winners of the race, the trophy company called to say they didn't know how to spell 'triathlon' because it wasn't in the dictionary. So, Don decided on its spelling on the spot.

Four years after the first triathlon, the Ironman was conceived on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, 1978. It began as a debate about who was the most fit- swimmers, runners or other athletes. Navy Commander John Collins decided to find out and came up with the idea to combine three existing races together to be completed in succession: the Waikiki Roughwater Swim (2.4 miles), the Around-Oahu Bike Race (112 miles, originally done over 2 days) and the Honolulu Marathon (26.2 miles).

"Whoever finishes first we'll call the 'Ironman,' " Collins said. Fifteen men participated in the event on February 18. Only 12 finished. Gordon Haller won in a time of 11 hours, 46 minutes and 58 seconds.

Gordon Haller, the first Ironman

The sport has grown and changed quite a lot since its inception almost 27 years ago. Here are some interesting facts about triathlon...

• The youngest person to ever do an Ironman was 14-year-old Rodkey Faust from Rathdru, Idaho. He completed the February 1982 Ironman Triathlon World Championship in 13:36:17
• Ironman Championships first appeared on television in 1980 on ABC's Wide World of Sports.
• Lyn Lemaire was the first female to become an Ironman in 1979. Her time was 12:55:38, placing her 5th overall.
• The slowest finish time ever recorded was 26:20:00 set by 73-year-old Walt Stack in 1981.
• The 17-hour-time limit was enacted in 1983.
• Dave Scott was the first Ironman to be inducted into the Ironman Hall of Fame in 1993. Dave is also a great supporter of Team In Training having been one of our national spokespersons. He is often seen at triathlon events wearing a TNT tri suit!
• Triathlon made its Olympic debut at Sydney in 2000 with the distances of 1500 meter swim, 40 km bike, and 10 km run.
• Mike Reilly is the "voice of Ironman" and many triathletes long to hear his voice as they cross the finish line and he declares, "YOU ARE AN IRONMAN"
• In 1982, 23-year-old college student Julie Moss had one of the most famous Ironman finishes of all time and because it was filmed on ABC's Wide World of Sports, millions watched her as she literally crawled to the finish. Suddenly, the popularity of triathlon boomed.

For a little inspiration, watch this video of Julie crawling to the finish (WARNING: triathletes might shed a tear or two wathing this!):



Ugly Christmas Sweater Party

TNT hosted its 5th Annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Celebration at Saint Arnold Brewery Tuesday night. Beer, silent auction, and ugly sweater contest made the evening a great kick off to the holiday season.

You could host your very own Ugly Christmas Sweater event as a fundraiser. It's simple and costs very little to organize a fun party like this at home. Serve easy appetizers and drinks. Have a contest for the ugliest sweater and be sure to give the winner a little prize. Charge a donation to attend. Make your holiday fundraising FUN!

Cheers & Go Team!

TNT Glossary

You hear a lot of terms from our staff, coaches and mentors. If you're ever stumped over our TNT jargon, here's a list of terms you'll hear often...

• Refer-A-Friend: When you refer a friend to the TNT program, if that friend commits at commitment date, you will receive an additional $100 in your fundraising account.
• Alumni: You become an alumna/alumnus of the program as soon as you complete your first TNT event. We love our alumni and we look forward to welcoming you to the family!
• Staff Lead: The Team In Training staff person who is organizing your season/campaign. This person will be your fundraising advisor throughout the season and will typically accompany you to your event weekend.
• Coach: The person who prepares you for your event. Your coach will write your training plan and organize your group workouts. All your questions about training should be directed to your coach.
• Mentor: The person who, along with the staff lead, helps guide you in your fundraising. A mentor is part of our alumni and will be available to you throughout the season to answer any questions or concerns about fundraising.
• Honored Teammate: A blood cancer patient/survivor your team participates in honor of. Sometimes this teammate will visit you at group runs. You are free to post their photos on your fundraising web pages and tell your friends you're running in their honor. Your honored teammate gives you a connection to the cause if you don't already have one.
• Fundraising Commitment: Your fundraising commitment is the amount that you are committing to fundraise for LLS. Your commitment is determined based upon the costs to get you across the finish line of your chosen event, and then set to ensure that at least 80% of what is being raised directly impacts the mission of LLS. Your fundraising commitment includes a number of benefits including race entry, coaching, hotel accommodations (if applicable), training shirt, race day apparel, and an Inspiration Dinner.
• Commitment Date: Once known as "recommitment", this is the date we ask you to fully commit to the season. You are making a promise to complete your fundraising commitment. Once you give us your full commitment to the program, we are committing to you as well. At this point, we pay your coaches, purchase race entries, pay for your hotel room, purchase dinner tickets, purchase race day jerseys, etc. When you commit, you promise that even if you don't finish your fundraising, you will let us charge you the remainder.
• Final Funds Date: This is the date a couple of weeks before your event that we ask you to complete your fundraising minimum. If at this time you have not completed your fundraising commitment, you will be charged for the remainder.
• Fundraising 101 & One On One: Each season our staff hosts a Fundraising Workshop in which we present ideas for your fundraising campaign and teach the "dos" and "don'ts" of fundraising. We also schedule one on one sessions with participants to advise them and help organize their campaign.
• Mission Moment: Our mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. At the beginning of group runs and at other events, we typically will have a "mission moment" to remind participants of why they are raising all that money. Sometimes a cancer patient will speak. Sometimes a volunteer or staff person will share a story or statistic related to our mission.
• Group Run/Ride/Swim: These are the workouts organized by your coach for your team. You will train as a group with SAG support on the bike, water stops on the run, etc.
• Brick Workout: A back to back workout in the sport of triathlon. Triathletes must stack some of their workouts like bricks. Sometimes a brick is a swim followed by a run. Sometimes it's a bike followed by a run. Sometimes it's a run followed by a bike followed by a run. Brick workouts get mixed up, but it's always a back to back workout to train your body for triathlon.
• Fuel: Not for the car, but for your body! Food and drink are now considered fuel to get you going in this great new sport.
• Taper: The time period from 2-4 weeks prior to race day in which you begin to slow things down. Mileage decreases and workouts get a little easier to help you recover for race day.
• TNT Packet Pick Up: Not to be confused with race packet pick up, TNT packet pick up is the time you pick up your packet from our office. This will include your inspiration dinner tickets, race day Jersey, incentives, weekend schedule, etc. You must pick this up or have a friend pick it up for you at our office.
• Race Packet Pick Up: Each race will operate in a slightly different manner, but most of them will host an expo the day before the race. At the race, you pick up your race packet which includes items such as timing chip, race bib, shirt, etc. At many races, the expo also includes booths where you can purchase all kinds of fun race gear.
• Red Carpet: Entrance to our inspiration dinners is like a pep rally! You are cheered into the dinner because you're a rock star!
• Inspiration Dinner: The night before your race, you're treated to a dinner with guest speakers who will thank you for your great effort and remind you of the mission to inspire you for the next day's event.
• Finish Line: In your sport, it's the big, happy finish when you've completed your race. People cheer for you, you get a medal, eat some food, and live the rest of your life proud of yourself! In our mission, it's the day we hope for- when blood cancer ceases to exist. By being a part of Team In Training, you are getting us closer to that great finish line!
• GO TEAM! This is our famous TNT cheer. You'll hear it many times throughout the season, including on race day. Anytime we see someone in TNT attire, we shout out "Go Team!"

Fun Fact Friday: SWIMMING

 

• An hour of vigorous swimming will burn more than 600 calories
• Elephants can swim as many as 20 miles per day using their trunks as a natural snorkel
• More than 50% of world class swimmers suffer from shoulder pain
• The slowest Olympic swim stroke is the breaststroke
• The fastest Olympic swim stroke is the front crawl (also called "freestyle")
• Most of the top level swimmers will swim 4-5 hours per day, seven days per week. They typically swim 6-12 miles per day along with cross training
• You sweat while you swim even if you can't tell
• Water's buoyancy makes swimming the ideal exercise for physical therapy and rehabilitation
• The Olympics are swum in a 50 meter pool (also known as long course). Most NCAA and high school meets are in 25 yard (or meter) pools (also known as short course).
• The oldest form of swim stroke used is the breaststroke, dating back to the Stone Age
• Benjamin Franklin invented swim fins at the age of 11
• Egyptians made a picture or symbol for swimming as far back as 2500 B.C.
• The first recorded swim races were held in Japan in 36 B.C.
• Swimming first became an Olympic event in 1896
• Synchronized swimming first appeared in the Olympics during the 1984 games
• Swimming in the Olympics began as a mens only sport, but women were finally allowed to swim in 1912
• President Gerald Ford had the outdoor swimming pool built at the White House in 1975. In 1976 a pool house was added with a secret, underground passage that lets the First Family and their guests get from the house to the pool without going outside.
• The first person to cross the English Channel swimming from England to France was Captain Matthew Webb in 1875
• The first female to swim the English Channel is Gertrude Ederle, who was just a teenager at the time, in 1926.
• The first person to swim a mile in Antarctica (in only a Speedo, cap and goggles) in 32 degree waters was Lynne Cox. Check out her amazing story: SWIMMING TO ANTARCTICA
• The oldest known concrete swimming pool was built in 1915 in Texas
• The first swimmer to break the 2 minute barrier in the 200 meters was Don Schollander in 1963
• Paul Biedermann holds the current 200 meter record in a time of 1:42:00
• An estimated 65,000 people in the USA do not know how to swim
• Swimmers really do shave their bodies before an important race, not only to get rid of the hair, but to rid the body of dead skin cells on the surface. Female swimmers will choose not to shave their legs for a few weeks leading up to race day to create "drag" in the pool and then just before the big race, they get a nice close shave. Shaving ones head is not as common as it once was because of the advancements in swim cap technology.
• Yes, swimmers pee in the pool

 

 

 

Giving Tuesday

 

 

Today is "Giving Tuesday" and we would like to see this become an even bigger, more exciting day than Black Friday. There are so many ways you can give so please consider jumping into that giving spirit and be sure to encourage your friends to join you. Here are a few wonderful ways you can give...

1. Donate to a Team In Training participant! CLICK HERE to make your tax deductible donation.
2. Volunteer! We are in constant need of generous volunteers willing to give their time. Contact us today and let us know you'd like to volunteer.
3. Make a meal for a family dealing with cancer.
4. Give blood or platelets! Blood cancer patients need many blood products so if you're able to donate blood, please do so! In the Texas Gulf area, you can donate blood at MD Anderson Cancer Center or Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center.
5. Get listed on the National Bone Marrow registry! If you are between the ages of 18 and 45, please consider having your cheek swabbed. You just might be the match for a patient needing a transplant. Click HERE to find out how.
6. Be part of our local LLS chapter's efforts to give to Halo House Foundation. We are collecting toiletries to donate (items such as soaps, lotions, shampoos, etc.). The mission of Halo House is to assist people of all ages who are being treated for a blood cancer by providing them with fully furnished housing at a very low cost while they are undergoing active treatment for their cancer at the Texas Medical Center. If you have items to donate, drop them off at the LLS office this week.
7. Send a card to a child at Texas Children's Hospital. Just CLICK HERE to make the card and a volunteer will deliver it to the child.
8. Give your hair to Locks of Love!
9. Offer to decorate for the holidays. Families dealing with cancer are often really tired and just not up for putting up holiday decorations. Drop by their house with freshly baked cookies and hot chocolate and decorate for them!
10. Hug the people you love today! Every day is a gift.

Reason2Race

 

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is excited to partner with Reason 2 Race so that athletes of all ages and ability levels can make LLS their "Reason2Race".

 

With Reason2Race, you have the ability to turn any event into a fundraiser, allowing you to challenge yourself physically while spreading awareness for a great cause. Every dollar that is raised through Reason2Race helps bring LLS closer to a cure for blood cancer.

 

So, how do you get started? As they say, it's as easy as 1,2,3...

 

1. Choose your event and get registered. You can do a 5K. You can do an Ironman. You can do an adventure race, cycling event, mountain climbing. The sky is the limit! Just register for a race or event and then...
2. CLICK HERE to set up your Reason2Race donation page. If your event is not listed, all you need to do is email teamintraining_txh@lls.org to request that it be added.
3. Start your fundraising! You should customize your fundraising page and then send out letters and emails to your friends, family and co-workers. Tell them what you are doing and why you would like their support.

There is NO MINIMUM FUNDRAISING AMOUNT. It's up to you how much or little you choose to raise for the Luekemia & Lymphoma Society through your race.

 

Take the challenge! Many race directors in the Houston area have set up charity challenges in which the top event fundraisers receive additional donations for their chosen charity. These include The Woodlands Charity Challenge, Onurmark Giving Challenge, Texas 10 Series Charity Challenge and Finish Line Sports Charity Challenge. CLICK HERE to learn more about these events.

 

*The Woodlands Charity Challenge: The Woodlands Marathon management team is awarding $18,000 in prize money to the charities of the highest fundraisers. Follow the three easy steps outlined above and you can start competing for one of the top fundraising spots today! The following awards will be provided to the charities of the highest athlete fundraisers:

 

1st Place Fundraiser	$3,000
2nd Place Fundraiser	$2,000
3rd Place Fundraiser	$1,000
Next 20 Fundraisers	$500 each ($10,000)
Next 20 Fundraisers	$100 each ($2,000)

**Make a $1,000 fundraising commitment when taking The Woodlands Charity Challenge and receive your training to prepare for the event, a training shirt, race day shirt, an Inspiration Dinner, and a finish tent celebration on event day.**

 

 

 

Let's Go To Canada!

So, TNT is heading off to Van (that's what the Canadians call Vancouver) in May. Pretty exciting, eh? This is shaping up to be one of our best adventures yet. If you'd like to join us or at least hear a little more about this marathon, come on out to Maple Leaf Pub Thursday, November 20 at 6:00 PM.

Here's a little blurb from the BMO Vancouver Marathon website:
Named a Top 10 Destination Marathon by Forbes.com and one of the world's most "exotic" marathons by CNN Travel, the BMO Vancouver Marathon is a Boston Qualifier that takes runneres on a 42.2 kilometre (26.2 miles) adventure past beaches, through natural parks, and along Vancouver's bustling Seawall.

Now, if that doesn't sound great, check out these 10 cool facts about this amazing city...

1. Vancouver was recently ranked as the third most "livable place in the world" for its high standard of living and quality of life. It was also ranked the 10th cleanest city in the world. In case you're wondering where the cleanest city in the world is, it's a little north- Calgary.
2. Vancouver has the 4th largest cruise ship terminal in the world.
3. Home to Canada's longest pool, measuring 137.5 meters (451 feet), it is nearly the size of three Olympic pools. This outdoor, saltwater pool is a major tourist attraction and is open year round.
4. Vancouver has the highest real estate prices in Canada. In 2011, the average price of a detached home was a staggering $1,204,587.
5. It's estimated that Vancouver could witness a major earthquake at anytime (8.0 Richter big). It sits on a fault along with Seattle & Portland. But in our opinion, this will not happen in May 2015 ;-)
6. Stanley Park, an urban oasis, is 10% larger than New York City's Central Park. It's 1001 acres.
7. The Vancouver Aquarium ranks in the top 5 worldwide.
8. Downtown Vancouver is 65% residential. Don't be surprised to see a lot of high rise condominiums.
9. Vancouver has the mildest climate in Canada. But it does receive an average of 1,589 m of rain per year.
10. Greenpeace, one of the world's oldest and most successful environmental groups was established in Vancouver.

So, what do you say? How bout you get another great stamp in your passport, run through a cool city, and wipe out blood cancer all at once!

Contact Dana-Susan Crews at TNT today! Or come see us at Maple Leaf Pub.

 

 

 

 

National Caregivers Month

November is National Caregivers Month.

When someone is diagnosed with cancer, their pain, fears and uncertainty can weigh them down. Their caregiver often experiences a depth of pain, fear and uncertainty too, but may not always show it. Many caregivers feel their duty is to hide their own feelings because the person they love is so very ill.

But caregivers need care too. This month, think about some ways you can reach out and care for a caregiver. Following are just a few simple ideas of ways you can offer much needed support:

1. Offer to give the caregiver some time away so they can go out with friends or relax a little.
2. Send a nice card or gift or leave a basket of goodies on the front porch (massage oil, iTunes gift card, magazines, chocolate are all great items for a gift basket).
3. It's the holiday season! Bring the family a nice Thanksgiving meal. Surprise them by coming over with a tree and lights and decorate their house. Do their holiday shopping for them.
4. Mow the lawn, do the laundry, clean the house, go grocery shopping, pick their kids up from soccer practice, etc.
5. Arrange meal deliveries to be conveniently dropped off.
6. Find local businesses willing to donate gift cards (cards for restaurants, movie theaters, etc.)
7. A simple phone call! And don't ask about the patient this time. Just ask the caregiver, "How are YOU doing?"
8. Put together a "hospital waiting room" goodie bag - fill it with snacks, reading materials, a journal and pen, coins for the vending machine, small games, craft materials, etc.
9. Send them to the spa (or send that super cool guy out for a day of golf or fishing).
10. Pray with them. Hold their hand. Let them cry or talk about their feelings. Just listen.

Face Painting for the Cause

Peyton raised $295.50 doing face paiting at Jack's Ride,
an annual event organized for kids with cancer. She
presented her donation to LLS staff today.

Philanthropy is for kids too!

When 13-year-old Peyton was in the third grade, she and her brother were out in the back yard playing with face paints when she asked her mom if she could do some face painting as a fundraiser. Their friend Jack had leukemia as a baby and thankfully survived. Following this, his family began hosting a neighborhood fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Peyton's mom suggested that she do her fundraising for this event called Jack's Ride. Peyton grabbed her paints, a table and chairs, and a small cup on which she wrote "25¢ donation for LLS". As soon as her booth was set up, there was already a line of kids waiting to get their faces painted. By the end of the event, she had raised $105 for the LLS.

Not long after this event, Peyton's grandfather was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer. Peyton was glad to know that part of the funds she raised are going to find a cure for her grandfather's cancer.

By the next year, she was even more prepared. She had volunteers to help her, more paint, a bigger table, posters and a much bigger container for donations (a large jar). Her little brother even got involved and ran a temporary tattoo booth next to hers. They raised $170.

Every year, Peyton returns to the event. The funds she raises partly go to Jack's Ride (which supports childhood cancers) and partly to the LLS. She has raised more than $2,000 so far and she's only in the 8th grade.

"I want other kids to do what I did," says Peyton, "I want them to set up face painting booths at neighborhood parties and community events to raise money for charities that they want to support. It is really easy to do and better than raising money to spend on yourself. Plus, it is really fun!"

Visit Peyton's website here: FACEPAINTINGFORTHECAUSE

National Wear Your TNT Shirt Day

It's National Wear Your TNT Shirt Day so we're proudly wearing our purple at the LLS office in Houston today! It's cool and rainy out so we warmed things up a little bit with some holiday spirit.

GO TEAM!!!

Happy Halloween!

 

Wishing all our TNT runners, walkers, triathletes and cyclists a super safe and happy Halloween!

Good luck to everyone participating in the Oilman Triathlon Sunday. May you enjoy all 70.3 miles of swimming, biking and running.

Go Team!

Team Talisman: Corporate Teams Rock!

A few of the members of Team Talisman at one of their bake sales for LLS

Talisman Energy Inc. is an oil and gas production company based out of Calgary. With offices all over the world, including The Woodlands, Texas, Talisman is a big supporter of many charitable organizations.

We are deeply grateful to Talisman for their involvement in the winter season for the Chevron Houston Marathon & Aramco Houston Half Marathon in January.  Team Talisman was organized by Sabrina Waggoner, Corporate Affairs & Community Relations Coordinator. Sabrina is especially passionate about funding for cancer research, having a daughter who is a survivor.

Talisman has committed to contributing to each of the employees who participate in TNT this winter by donating the first $500 of their fundraising commitment. In addition to this, each Thursday throughout the month of October this team has hosted a bake sale on campus. They have raised several hundred dollars at each bake sale.

Thank you Team Talisman for the energy, enthusiasm and dedication to our mission to end blood cancer. We can't wait to cheer you on in Houston in January.

Go TEAM!

Mission Moment Monday: Coach Bill Crews

Bill Crews has been involved with Team In Training since May 2004 as honored teammate, fundraising participant, marathon coach and triathlon coach. He was diagnosed with incurable non-Hodgkin lymphoma in October 2003 and has shared his story many times at many TNT events. The following is part of a speech he gave at an inspiration dinner in January 2013...

The dictionary definition of "hero" is: someone of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.

Over the past several months a lot of people have asked me to talk about my feelings about Lance Armstrong. My typical answer is that I'm grateful for any good he's done for the cancer community and then I change the subject. Some people have even said, "what has happened to Lance is tragic because the cancer community has lost its great hero." What I'm about to say to you has nothing to do with Lance, but everything to do with the lie that the cancer community had only one great hero and no longer does.

If a hero truly is someone with distinguished courage or ability, admired for brave deeds and noble qualities, well then the cancer community remains full of heroes, some alive and well, and others fallen.

My sister Michelle became a hero in my eyes when she was only 5 years old. I will never forget the moment my parents told me she had leukemia. I was 7 years old and scared. But I watched her courageously endure chemotherapy and radiation. I saw her laugh and smile when she was in pain and proudly pull off her wig in front of everyone to jump into the pool to swim with me. Michelle was my best friend.

For a year, I saw a true hero in her as leukemia ate away her life. On the last day of second grade, I went home from school to hear the devastating words that changed my life forever: "your sister died today." One year after her diagnosis, my sister became another victim of blood cancer. In my eyes, Michelle Crews is a fallen hero. She's not out living strong. She never had the chance to run a marathon or become an Ironman. She never had the chance to even finish kindergarten. But she was one of the greatest heroes of my life.

Recently I read an article about teenagers with cancer. They wrote about how they feel about their disease. Kids are so honest. They don't feel the need to put a spin on cancer. They just tell it like they see it. One of the girls said how she just wishes she could go to P.E. class and hang out with her friends, all the normal stuff she's missing out on. Every one of them said they just wanted to go back to the normal stuff, not that they wanted to be some great hero doing big extraordinary things, just the ordinary things all the other teens take for granted. But the quote that stood out the most to me came from a 14-year-old boy. He said, "Cancer has messed up my life. There's no getting round it. People say I'm inspiring and strong. I hate that. I'm no superhero, just a boy who wants to stay alive doing what the doctors and nurses tell him in the hope of one day getting his life back."

This got to me more than anything else because it's how I feel too. My photo is in magazines and on posters at MD Anderson. In it, I stand next to my bike with the word "lymphoma" crossed out and the caption talks about my triathlons and marathons. I'm told that my story of beating cancer and becoming an Ironman inspires people to pursue their dreams. The simple truth is I'm not a hero for having cancer. I was just a 37-year-old man who felt just like that 14-year-old. Cancer messed up my life. My hope was that the drugs would do their job of getting rid of my cancer so I could go back out and live again.

My hero is Dr. Rick Hagemeister, the man who saved my life. His decision to use RCHOP chemotherapy was the reason I'm alive today. It's not because I did anything great. I was lucky. The drugs worked for me. My sister was unlucky because they did not work for her. Does the fact that she died make her less of a hero? Does it mean she wasn't brave or strong or filled with courage? No. It means that the drugs did not work for her. Strength and courage do not save your life. Maybe, if you're lucky, the chemo works. That's why we need more funding for research. Cancer research saves lives. Oncologists, nurses, researchers... they are the heroes. They are the ones who have devoted their lives to the eradication of cancer. But without funding for research, they can't do their job.

That makes everyone in this room tonight a hero too. You have raised thousands of dollars for research and someday more and more people will survive cancer because of you.

Update:

Eleven years after Bill's battles against cancer began, they have heated up again. October 2014 brought the devastating news that he has developed a secondary cancer and must continue the good fight. On behalf of Bill and the many thousands of men, women and children enduring blood cancer, may we continue raising funds for our researchers so that someday soon we can all see the end of blood cancer.

Mission Moment Monday: Running For Dad

Sarah Bannon is a 28-year-old life long Houstonian. She is a genetic counselor at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, specializing in gastrointestinal cancers (colon and pancreas) and blood cancer (leukemias and myelofibrosis). On the side, she's also a professional singer you can find singing at places such as St. Paul's United Methodist Church, local choirs, recitals and Opera in the Heights.

Sarah is training with our Memorial Park group for the Aramco Houston Half Marathon. It is not her first half marathon, but this one is taking on special meaning. Here's her story...

"I ran my first half marathon last year on accident. I was never supposed to actually get picked in the lottery! And it was the biggest personal challenge I have ever tackled. It was about a month later that my father was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in February 2014, which turned my entire world upside down.

Being by his side through the long wait for a diagnosis, the fear and the uncertainty of those weeks he was in the protected environment, and the deep pride and love I feel as he goes into his last cycle of consolidation therapy next week have brought us so close together. I knew that I wanted to keep running after my first half and it was a complete no-brainer that I would do my next one with Team In Training. Every single step is for my dad- his bravery, his sense of humor, and in gratitude for the time we've had together and all the time that is to come. I am so excited to be running, not just for my dad, but for my patients and their families. Leukemia used to just be my job, but now it's part of my life."

LLS Staff at MD Anderson Cancer Center

 

Texas Gulf Coast LLS staff outside the research facility at
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

September 15 was "World Lymphoma Awareness Day" and the Texas Gulf Coast chapter of LLS was privileged to spend this special day touring one of the research facilities at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

 

This was a wonderful opportunity for the staff to get to witness first hand some of the exciting developments in research our organization is helping to fund. The site visit began with a tour through the labs of Dr. Larry Kwak, head of the department of lymphoma/myeloma and Dr. Robert Orlowski of lymphoma/myeloma. Researchers in the labs talked to us about some of the incredible advances in therapies they continue to work on, including cell therapy, vaccines and targeted antibodies.

 

Our next stop was a visit with the director of the Lymphoma Tissue bank, Dr. Sattva Neelapu. He and his head researcher took us into the labs where they store tumor tissue and study tumor progression. Part of the lab includes a room filled with large freezers where the tissue is stored at -180 degrees.

 

Following lunch, Dr. Dean Lee of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences talked to us about the cutting edge research he's doing inserting NK cells into a patient on chemotherapy. NK cells (natural killer cells) are one of the specialized white blood cells of our immune system and they can recognize and kill many types of cancer, including AML. Recently the FDA and review board at MD Anderson approved the first in-human study to test whether these NK cells can be safely delivered in combination with chemo. This clinical study is happening now and we are honored that the LLS has given a grant to Dr. Lee for this remarkable study. If successful, the approach could apply to many other types of cancer. There are already other clinical trials under development to test NK cells.

 

It was a great thrill to visit the famous MD Anderson Cancer Center and we feel grateful to be here in Houston where this incredible research is happening in our own back yard.

 

Researcher at the Lymphoma Tissue bank
showing us the freezers filled with tissue from
biopsies. The freezers are kept at -180 degrees.

LLS staff at the tissue bank with the lab's director, Dr. Sattva Neelapu

Staff with Dr. Dean Lee, M.D., PHD- faculty Graduate School
of Biomedical Sciences

 

Mission Moment Monday: Peyton's Story

Eleven-year-old Peyton Busch is a smart, athletic 5th grader who loves football and basketball and playing outside with his brother Braden.

On September 11, 2006, at the age of 3, he was diagnosed with leukemia. His mom, Carrie, had noticed many red spots on his arms and legs as wells as a lot of bruising and she just did not feel right about it. So, Peyton's pediatrician did blood work. Once the blood work came back, the pediatrician said he thought Peyton probably had leukemia and that they needed to leave immediately, pack a bag, and head straight to Texas Children's Hospital.

"My mind did this... Leukemia = Cancer = Death," Carrie said, "I had no idea this was a blood cancer. I had no idea what the statistics were for survival. I had no idea what it meant that he was considered high risk. I went home crying with him and packed our bags."

Peyton's dad was on a plane coming home and had no idea all of this was happening until he landed and found out his wife and son were at the hospital where his little boy was already having blood and platelet transfusions.

"In the beginning the treatments were horrible," Carrie said, "For the first year and a half, I had to hold Peyton down to get his port accessed. He would kick and scream and hit me and cry and ask why I was letting them do this to him." He cried when they took the dressings off his port when he finished chemo. He spit the oral medicines at his mom saying they tasted "yucky" so she tried hiding them in his food. Finally, the nurses taught him how to swallow pills so they could get the medicines in without a fight.

In January 2010, after four years of chemotherapy, Peyton was done! His port was removed one week following his seventh birthday. Today, he doesn't really talk much about his cancer journey. He just lives a normal young boy's life. He has minor issues with his heart from the damage done by treatments, but fortunately, he is cancer free and now only has to return to TCH once a year!

Carrie has gone on to participate in many events with TNT. She runs, swims, bikes and raises thousands of dollars to fund a cure for leukemia so that someday young mothers won't have to endure the painful experience of having a child with cancer. "I felt when I became a mother I finally had a purpose in my life- to raise and protect my children to the best of my ability," she said, "When Peyton was diagnosed, I lost the ability to protect him. I had no control over what the outcome was to be or how the treatment was to go. I had to turn it over to God and let Him take care of Peyton."

"I was just there to delegate the obnoxious pill schedule and to stay on top of his treatment schedule. And try to make things as normal as I could for Peyton, Braden, and myself. That was really hard."

There are many young parents every day who discover the same horrible fact Carrie did, that their child has cancer.  "I would tell someone whose child has been diagnosed that it is going to be a long hard road, but that there is so much good that comes out of something so bad. I have met other great families through our journey that truly understand my fears and concerns and emotions. I have my TNT family."

Carrie's continued support of the mission of the LLS through TNT is phenomenal. She proudly wears her son's name on her race jersey and continues to fight not only for Peyton, but for other men, women and children with blood cancer. "I want this disease to go away," she said, "I never want another family to hear those words: 'your child has leukemia'. I think the world needs to know how little funding goes to childhood cancer research. There needs to be more so they can find a cure and better treatment methods for little ones."

Nations Tri Weekend in D.C.

Our Nations Tri TNT triathletes spent the past weekend in Washington D.C. biking and running to beat blood cancer. They would have done a little swimming for the cause, but a storm came through the night before causing a little nastiness to be stirred up in the Potomac.

 

But our fearless purple warriors did not let this spoil their enthusiasm for ending blood cancer. Our local team raised over $38,000. And our Team Andy Strong Tri group was the top fundraising team at the event. Participants from many states attended the event and raised more than $500,000 to wipe out blood cancer.

 

Go TEAM!!!

 



Is Your State Represented?

So far, 8 great states are represented on our Winter Season roster. Participants are coming in from Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. And of course, loads of Texans will be here.

It will be fun having so many out of state guests at our Inspiration Dinner and race on January 18. We can't wait to see y'all!

National Blood Cancer Awareness Month

September is National Blood Cancer Awareness Month.

• Every 3 minutes someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer.
• 1.1 million Americans are living with (or are in remission from) a blood cancer.
• Blood cancers are the most common of childhood cancers.
• Almost 150,000 Americans will be diagnosed with blood cancer this year.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is working harder than ever to fund cures for these diseases and to make sure that patients have access to the treatments they need. During Blood Cancer Awareness Month, please consider helping us on our mission to raise $300,000 in 30 days!

Since we began in 1949, we have invested more than $1 billion in our mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin Disease and myeloma and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

Thank you Texas Gulf Coast TNT participants for your part in this great mission.

Go TEAM.

Meet the Doctor: Naveen Pemmaraju

Receiving the news you have cancer is one of the most frightening things a person can hear. And when that happens, you want to go somewhere you know you'll receive the best treatments and see a physician who is an expert in your exact malignancy.

We are fortunate here in the Texas Gulf Coast chapter of the LLS that we get to meet and interact with some of the greatest cancer doctors on the planet in the Texas Medical Center, those who are leading the way to bringing us to the end of blood cancer.

Meet Dr. Pemmaraju:

Naveen Pemmaraju, M.D. is an assistant professor in the Department of Leukemia at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. His energy and enthusiasm are evident as he works tirelessly to kill the cancer in his patients and continue studying causes and better treatment options so that future generations will not have to suffer through acute leukemia.

Dr. Pemmaraju grew up in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He went to college at Tulane in New Orleans before returning to his home state to attend University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. He did his residency at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore and finally in  2008, he came to MD Anderson in Houston for his fellowship in hematology and oncology.

"I knew I wanted to be a hematologist/oncologist since I was in late high school/early college," he said, "it was a calling for me to seek leukemia." He learned much from his dad who is a pathologist as well as several mentors at Johns Hopkins and MD Anderson. Their passion for the eradication of these diseases represented how he wanted to approach patients and research.

"I really love engaging in patient-oriented clinical investigation and clinical research," he said, "I focus my time on research: patients with AML, MPNs and a rare hematologic malignancy known as Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic cell neoplasm. I'm also very interested in research involving adolescent and young adults with myeloid malignancies."

Curing blood cancers is at the top of the list of Dr. Pemmaraju's priorities. "A lot of people don't realize there are as of yet no standard therapies available for a lot of my patients," he said, "there are just no widely available approved therapies for these subgroups and there is urgent need. I see patients every day that need access to these kinds of therapies." About his fellow physicians, he says, "we come to work every day not only to take care of patients, but to find therapies and cures for our patients."

And in recent years, he has seen quite a few breakthroughs. For example, in his area of work, the pioneering of Ruxolitinib, the first approved JAK inhibitor in treatment of higher risk Myelofibrosis was led by his group with Dr. Verstovsek and Dr. Kantarjian. "I have observed the benefits of this drug in the clinic myself and this is very satisfying when previously these lovely patients didn't have any therapies available." He is also excited about the development of targeted therapies which target cancer cells while leaving normal, healthy cells unharmed.

"I think oncology is a special way of life with many rough days for the patient and the provider," he said, "It's not just a career. For me it's a way of life, a calling, a permanent state of being. I laugh with my patients, I cry sometimes with them, I hold hands, I have learned how to deliver bad news to a patient with a room full of relatives, and I have had days of pure joy shared with my patients' smiles at bedside on the day we find out about a remission." He sees many postives and negatives every day. "My goal is to be there, in the moment with my patient through every step of their cancer journey."

One of the ways he deals with the challenges of this calling is through writing about his patient encounters and experiences. He has even had the chance to publish some of his poems and essays. "It's a great way for me to communicate my unique thoughts and experiences at life's most harrowing situations of health, death and dying that I'm witness to on a daily basis."

And Dr. Pemmaraju says he could never fulfill his calling as an oncologist without the support of his wife Aditi. "Without her, my dedication to my patients and my research would be impossible," he said, "She is my sounding board, my comfort zone, my partner, my best friend. She keeps me sailing through uncertain waters of what I do day in and day out." He says that she and his two young children keep him grounded and balanced so he can get up each day and treat his patients.

We are incredibly grateful to Dr. Pemmaraju and all of the amazing blood cancer doctors for their dedication to wiping out these diseases. Someday, thanks to their efforts, there will be no more blood cancer. They truly are making someday today.

Mission Moment Monday: Barry's Story

Barry at the 2009 Light The Night Walk at Market Street

"Welcome to MD Anderson Cancer Center" was the sign Barry Blanton noticed that April day in 2003. It wasn't welcoming him as a visitor there to see a friend with cancer. It was welcoming him as a patient with a cancer that he was told was "treatable, but not curable".

Barry was a healthy, strong man in his 40s when he discovered he had stage four follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The cancer had spread to his bone marrow and he had to endure six months of chemotherapy to kill it. Fortunately the treatments did not make him extremely sick and by January 2004, he finished chemo.

Throughout his cancer journey, Barry's faith was strong. "I knew, and still know, that God has a plan for my life and for my having gone through this challenging time," Barry said, "It was a huge faith opportunity for my life."

His own battle against blood cancer was a challenge, but not as difficult as that of seeing his father endure it. Just 2 1/2 years after Barry finished treatments, his dad was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a blood disorder that later becomes leukemia. His dad's disease quickly advanced and became acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and after trying three different regimens, they were told there was nothing more they could do. His dad, Don Blanton, died after only 10 months.

Barry, his wife Fran, his mom Barbara, as well as many of their friends and family have taken their grief and painful experiences fighting blood cancer and used them for good. Their Light the Night team, The Blanton Bunch, has been part of Montgomery County, Texas LTN walk since it began 10 years ago. They have raised over $115,000 and this year their goal is to raise another $22,000.

The Blantons continue to fight the good fight with the hope that someday these diseases will come to an end. Barry says he doesn't want his children or grandchildren or anyone else to ever have to hear they have a disease that is treatable, but not curable. "I am determined to help find a cure for blood cancers," he said.



If you would like to donate to The Blanton Bunch click here: http://pages.lightthenight.org/txg/Woodland14/blantonbunch

If you would like to form a team for Light the Night, click here: http://www.lightthenight.org/register/

Mission Moment Monday: Nate's Story

by Missy, Nate's wife

Part One:
"Through sickness and in health"... the vows we spoke to one another just short of two years prior to October 24 when Nate was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

We had a picture perfect life together- met and fell in love in 2009, married in November 2011, bought a beautiful new home in 2012 right before the birth of our amazing son Pierce on January 9, 2013. Everthing was too good to be true.

Nate was doing incredible work at his company in medical sales, as he always does. He had just gotten back from a business trip in Boston where he had interviewed for a manager position in Georgia which he was offered a few days before he was diagnosed with AML. He started feeling like he had the flu and had fever for a week. After getting blood work at a family practice doctor in Missouri City, he was directly admitted to Methodist Hospital in Sugar Land, Texas. He was seen by a Hematologist who diagnosed him with AML. The journey begins...

The day after he was diagnosed I got a call from my manager that we needed to meet up. I was the Marketing Director for a wound care center and was just getting started in the position. I never expected what was coming that day. I was let go due to the company budget not being able to hold my position at the time. Wow. Now what?

We checked into MD Anderson a few days later and began treatment. After two rounds of intense chemotherapy, Nate's platelets never returned to a normal level in order to receive more chemo so it was determined that he would need a bone marrow/stem cell transplant. The search began for a match but unfortunately, there wasn't one. This is when they decided Nate's best option for a cure would be to use stem cells from umbilical cord blood.

Nate checked into the hospital on March 28 and had his transplant on April 3 after a week of heavy chemo. Later he got a call from his company that they could no longer keep him employed and would be coming to pick up his company car.

Following transplant, he was like a newborn baby, highly susceptible to infections and not able to resume a "normal" life for a while. He cannot work for six months to a year. I never thought we would be a family living on disability and unemployment but here we are. 2014 had other plans for us. We are strong in our faith in God and our love for one another. We will get through this and be stronger for it.

Part Two:
Nate had to come back into the hospital on July 31. It turns out he had EBV-PTLD (Epstein Barr virus induced lymphoproliferative disorder) which has advanced rapidly and turned into diffuse large B cell lymphoma. He received 3 doses of Rituxan but the tumors continued to grow. He just finished Cytoxan to try to get the lymphoma under control while he waits to receive an experimental treatment involving killer T cells. He will be transported to Methodist Hospital this week to have the cell therapy infusion and then it's just a waiting game to see if they do the job to rid the lymphoma from his body. We have never been so scared yet so strong in our faith. We know God is the great physician and has Nate in His arms.

UPDATE:
From Missy: "God called Nate to his eternal home on October 19, 2014 around 4:10 p.m. I miss him so much and am getting by the best I can. The medical bills continue to roll in and the world keeps moving although mine feels like it has stopped... come to a screeching halt."

Where In The World Are We Going Now?

Our TNT triathletes had a blast at our alumni mixer last night at J. Black's in theHeights. And quite a few of them registered for our upcoming tri season. Some signed up for Lavaman Olympic Triathlon in Hawaii while others chose our newest destination event: the 70.3 in Puerto Rico.

It's going to be a truly exciting tri season for our local chapter! If you missed our fun party last night, no hay problema (no worries)... Contact our Cycle/Tri Campaign Manager Katy Lea Todd and tell her you are ready to head out to beautiful Hawaii for Lavaman or to el bonito Puerto Rico!

Bruce Cleland, the Beginning of Charity Running

In 1988, when 40-year-old Bruce Cleland decided to form a team and raise money for leukemia research in honor of his toddler who had been diagnosed, he had no idea that he was starting something that would spread like wildfire.

Bruce is credited not only with starting Team In Training, but with the entire charity running movement that is a booming business. This summer Bruce was featured in an article on this topic for the Wall Street Journal.

The article explains that endurance sports used for worthy causes began with Bruce and that last year, the top dozen endurance fundraising events in the country raised more than $106 million. According to Bruce, "Years ago, running a marathon was considered extreme and a true expression of how much someone cared for a cause."

Today, at the age of 66, he competes in triathlons. And, thanks to him, Team In Training has helped bring in over $1 billion for blood cancer research. Wow, Bruce, thank you for showing us all that the world of health & fitness can defeat the world of sickness and death! Go Team!

If you would like to read the Wall Street Journal article, check it out here: http://online.wsj.com/articles/fisher-brothers-executives-turn-into-extreme-sport-fundraisers-1402276479

Mission Moment Monday: Anna & Ashley, A Perfect Match

Anna Sicotte was only 20 months old when she was diagnosed with T-Cell ALL. Her dad Tom will never forget the exact moment on May 29, 2008 when the pediatrician delivered this shocking news.

"I remember clear as day Anna wearing a yellow fleece pullover and squeezing her, telling myself not to drop her," he said, "It was like a wave went through me and took every bit of life and feeling out of me. I went completely numb."

Anna's parents, Tom and Cindy, found being at the hospital quite a challenge, but were comforted by meeting so many other children and families enduring the same struggle. "You get to know them and pray for them and hope they get to go home," Tom said, "Then one day you walk by their room and it's empty and you hope they went home but then find out they didn't make it. Those are the really hard days."

When Anna did not achieve a remission by the goal of 28 days, doctors determined that the best option for her survival would be a bone marrow transplant. On July 29, two months after her diagnosis, Anna went into remission and the search for her marrow donor began. Tom and Cindy were tested, but were not a match. They have no other children, so a search through the National Bone Marrow Registry began. One month later, they heard the news that Anna had 300 possible matches! Of those, they had to narrow it down to the closest match. By September 11, they had their perfect match.

It was a hot summer night in Houston and Ashley McCamant clearly remembers the call she received. "It was just a regular day in July 2008," she said, "I worked a 12 hour shift at the hospital, had arrived home and was sitting at my kitchen island eating and going through mail when around 8:30 p.m. my phone rang." Ashley had been on the National Bone Marrow registry since she was in nursing school and had two friends with leukemia. Both of these friends had been saved by a bone marrow transplant so Ashley got on the list.

Receiving the call that night and hearing that she was one of 300 people who were a possible match was very exciting. She was asked if she would be willing to continue with testing and of course, she enthusiastically said yes. After an appointment to do many tests, Ashely received another call telling her that she was a perfect match and if she was willing, a baby girl with leukemia needed her bone marrow. With zero hesitation, Ashley agreed to donate. All she knew of her recipient was her age, gender and diagnosis, so Ashley and her family began to affectionately refer to her as "Baby Girl".

Although nervous about the procedure, Ashley reminded herself that any risk to herself paled in comparison to the life of "Baby Girl". Fortunately, things went very smoothly. The entire procedure took about an hour. Her pain was very well managed while in recovery and she was sent home with pain medicine. "I was pretty sore the first couple of days," she said, "They did bilateral aspirations from my pelvis, so I had two puncture sites low down on my back, just above my buttocks." But the pain was not severe enough to keep her from going out to eat with her parents that same night.

"The best phrase I've managed to come up with to describe the experience is that it was a minor inconvenience," Ashley said, "but even that seems too strong of a word. It was a tiny interruption in my life, a little blip."

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Boston, Anna's troubles were nowhere near the finish line. She had to undergo intense chemotherapy and radiation to prepare for transplant. Her dad had to keep working at home in Connecticut while Anna and her mom Cindy stayed at the hospital in Boston. Anna was in isolation, so even when he did get to visit on the weekends, only one parent is allowed to stay at the hospital, so Tom had to stay at the Ronald McDonald house.

Anna did well with the transplant but it did mean she had to spend the next year in isolation. No one could visit her in her home. And she couldn't go anywhere. "Living in the Northeast made this seem like a very long winter," Tom said.

Cancer is tough no matter who you are or what your age, but for parents, having a child with cancer is devastating. "You  pray to God to take it from them and put it in you so they don't have to deal with it," Tom said, "Having to watch your child scream while doctors and nurses hold her down trying to get a line started in her arm and there's nothing you can do but feel helpless. Having to make decisions that have an impact on your child's health like filling her full of poison or radiation that can cause other damage down the road, dealing with insurance companies that say they won't cover something or that you're not allowed to go to Boston for transplant because it's considered out of network. Keeping a brave face on for everyone and then breaking down when you're alone because you're scared to death."

One year following Anna's transplant, Tom and Cindy were asked if they would like to meet her donor. They most definitely wanted to meet the person who saved their little girl's life. Another year passed without a word, but then they got a call from Boston once again asking if they wanted to meet the donor. They were given all the information for contacting Anna's donor. "I instantly called my wife at work," said Tom, "I said, 'her name is Ashley' and Cindy said, 'Whose name is Ashley?' so I said, 'Anna's donor!'". Tom then sat down to email Ashley.

It was a Tuesday evening, right after Anna's soccer practice, that the Sicotte family met Ashley, the beautiful young nurse whose marrow saved their daughter. For Tom and Cindy, meeting Ashley was "Instant love, like when your child is born," Tom described, "She's so humble and ho hum about what she did too, no big deal. For us, it's a big deal. It was one of the most amazing experiences of our lives and a life changing moment for me."

Anna and Ashley, a perfect match



Although Tom lives in Connecticut and Ashley lives in Houston, these two have decided to run the upcoming Chevron Houston Marathon and raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through Team In Training. They have formed a team called Team Anna/Tash (Tash is Ashley's nickname) and are doing this in honor of adorable Anna who is living a healthy life free of cancer.

If you would like to donate to Team Anna/Tash, just click on their team page:
http://pages.teamintraining.org/txg/houston15/TeamAnnaTashnhx

Anna with her daddy, Tom

Anna with her mommy, Cindy