marathon 08---anyone else running for charity?

[tigger2esq]

I am just curious, I am not running with an organized charity group but when I made the decision late this summer to register for Disney, I decided I wanted to run to raise money for something. I decided it would be a nice way to recognize my dad who will be celebrating 5 years cancer free in January. he was diagnosed with breast cancer (yep--he was one of those 1% of all new cases...) back in June 2002 on my birthday (and was declared cancer free in January 2003). both of my grandmothers also had breast cancer so I set up my own firstgiving page to collect donations for the Susan G Komen breast cancer foundation. I was thrilled to exceed my fund raising goal back in early November and it was something that has kept me motivated during some very difficult weeks of training. I was just curious if anyone other DISers out there were running for a charity and why you chose the one you did.

 

[andromedaslove]

Well... my 6 year old son and wanted to run the 5k at Animal Kingdom this year. Unfortunately, I didn't get us signed up in time and the only way to get us registered for the race was to go through the charity. Don't tell Michael (DS6) that though. He thinks that raising the money to help these kids is the greatest thing EVER, and is so excited that he has reached his goal. Unfortunately, I haven't yet and with only 2 days left I don't know that I will. I still have another 185 left. I can say for a fact though that 75% of the donations he and I received we got from the wonderful people here on the DIS WISH boards!!

Thanks again guys!!

Dana

 

[Cruella de mom]

I am running with the purple horde again this year. I started running with Team in Training for last years marathon. I am running with them again this year as a mentor. That means I am encouraging first time marathoners as they train and raise money.

I chose TNT because my dad has been battling hodgkins and non-hodgkins lymphomas for 12 years. Last year, he lost his bladder and part of his intestines to cancer as well.

I always thought that traing and running a marathon was alot like having cancer. It is all about the endurance. Pushing past pain and nausea to reach a goal. Then I met a survivor who told me I was wrong.

"I run and run, past pain and past anger. I can't stop because for them (the cancer patients) there is no finish line. There is no medal. There is noone jumping up and down and cheering as they struggle. Where they are it is quiet and cold and sterile. I run the race amid cheers, in heat, and sweat. The only thing they have in common is a shared desire to be finished & alive."

 

[princessrunner]

"I run and run, past pain and past anger. I can't stop because for them (the cancer patients) there is no finish line. There is no medal. There is noone jumping up and down and cheering as they struggle. Where they are it is quiet and cold and sterile. I run the race amid cheers, in heat, and sweat. The only thing they have in common is a shared desire to be finished & alive."

For my dad, who did not finish alive, and thank you for the quote. It puts things in perspective.

I run only in races for which the money goes to a cause so I guess, in essence, I run for charity too. I run more for myself to keep me healthy and fend off the cancer that took my dad away from us.

Again, thank you for the quote, it has deep meaning for some of us.

 

[MyZoeJane]

First time TNTer here! I got involved after participating in a marrow drive for Trevor Kott. www.trevorkott.com

He passed away just a couple of weeks after the drive and I felt I needed to do more. As a mom, I was shaken to my core by the thought of losing my baby. I remembered the TNT folks who were all over the place during my first trip to Disney (as an adult) in January of '06 and I signed up for emails... When I got the info about the upcoming trainings, it was a no brainer!

A good friend of mine, who happened to have been the one who got me hooked on Disney in the first place (Hi, Heidi!) is also participating with me. She lost her grandma to a form of Leukemia.

Since I'm contributing $1000 to my own goal... I am now only $400 away from meeting it!

You can read a bit about my story here.
www.active.com/donate/tntil/alirunsforlife

 

[monte]

This is my first time with Team in Training and it has been a wonderful experience. I am raising money in honor of my stepson, Aaron, who has been battling leukemia for 7 years. The mentors, coaches and other team members have been awesome and Aaron is so grateful to everyone involved w/TNT

P.S. I've raised $9,250. so far and hope to reach $10,000. by Jan.2...wish me luck!

 

[tigger2esq]

what great stories! thanks for sharing. I had thought about doing TNT in the past so I am on their mailing list but have never officially signed on (My Aunt/Godmother is currently battling cancer--after kicking a bout with lymphoma they discovered a tumor on her brain. she was given 3 months to live--that was 4 years ago...). Since I was so late in deciding to run this one I didnt think I would have enough time to raise enough funds through an organize charity so decided to go it on my own. I know when I ran my first marathon last fall--it helped me to think that no matter how hard it was for me there was an end and I could quit whenever I wanted but for my dad and aunt quitting wasnt an option. it really keeps your feet moving forward.

 

[angietuck2]

Last year we decided to do the Disney 1/2 a little too late and the only way we could do it was through a charity. I am going to be honest, the only reason we picked AT at first was because they had lowest minimum goal. So we raised our money and marathon weekend we went to the dinners and met the children that we raised the money for. It was literally overwhelming. You see AT is a disease that I would dare to say 90 % of people have never heard of (including us until we did Marathon) but it is horrible. It is genetic and it is like having cancer, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis all in one.

Most of them end up in a wheelchair by age 10 and don't live past their teens. Anyway the whole experience was overwhelming, all the spectators that were along the course for AT cheered for us like they knew us and the boy we sat with at dinner, Keaton, his dad was so grateful to us for raising money.

Sorry for the long story all that being said I so believe in their cause now that I ran the MINNIE marathon for them and this year DH and DS are doing 1/2 and 5k for them. DS - 11 was so touched by meeting the kids that this year he wanted to raise money for them too.

OK end of my story - sorry so long.

angie