by Megen Hilmer
Dear Loveland Magazine Readers,
We are having a fundraiser for Leukemia at Power Ryde this Saturday at 10:30 AM if you’d like to join us.
One of our clients, Loveland resident Jen Kelly, is a leukemia survivor and has been active with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society since her diagnosis 10 years ago. Her initial email/story is below.
We have a donation jar on our reception desk so our regular ryders can contribute this week too. If the class fills (we now have 30 bikes), we will add additional classes.
Please “spread the word” especially to people who are leukemia survivors or have an interest in the LLS.
Thank You!
Meg Hilmer
P.S. Please use the “Share” and Social Media options below and help us spread the word!
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Hi loveland,
I’m a leukemia survivor and have been active with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) since my diagnosis almost 10 years ago and am now participating in my 7th endurance event and fundraising for LLS through the Team in Training program.
Last year I recruited four neighbors and friends to train and fundraise together as a team and our Moms on a Mission team raised over $12,000 for LLS. Outside of direct-ask donations, we did several FUNdraisers including yard sales, bake sales, Reds games, and a CIty BBQ donation day. Most of the team is back together and we’ve started training and are looking to set up a few summer fundraisers. I love that Power Ryde regularly hosts fundraising classes and wanted to see if you’d consider hosting a class for our group and to ask how the process works? I’m confident that with our local network we could fill at least one class and I’d love to use this a reason to get some local friends to finally try a class : )
I’ve included “my story” below as well as a link to our team page. One of the other MOMs (Beth Feeney) is also a PowerRyde cyclist and the person who encouraged me to try a class with her 🙂
Thank you so much for your consideration, I’ll be at the studio to get my sweat on this weekend!
Kind regards,
Jen Kelly
Visit Moms on a Mission’s Fundraising Page
My Story
I was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) on July 5, 2005, at the age of 26. I started treatment in October, and after 6 months of chemotherapy was deemed in remission, but not cured, and I’m still watched by my oncologist and seen in clinic every 3-4 months. I celebrated NINE years of remission in May, but I’m not cured and my fight with cancer is never far from my mind. Now that I’m a mother and wife, my concern has shifted from simply “what will my treatments look like when / if my cancer returns and will I be able to beat it again?” to “will I be able to fight this horrible disease again while also caring for my family?”
LLS literally saved my life and gives me hope for the future
The chemotherapy regime used in my initial treatment was one of the first my doctor had administered as the protocol had been published just months prior, and LLS had funded the research! Most patients diagnosed with CLL are men in their 60s and although they know that CLL always returns, until last year, there was no standard relapse treatment protocol. In February 2014 the FDA approved the drug Ibrutinib for use in CLL patients who have previously been treated. The research was funded by LLS and was completed by Dr. John Byrd, right up the street at OSU! This is HUGE, and proof positive that research leads to results!
Why I’m running!
With “free time” at a premium, you may wonder why I’ve decided to train for a half marathon. I’m running and fundraising because I CAN. There were SO MANY days when I was waging my war against cancer that I had to say “I can’t.” Because the drugs made my body weak, because I was too sick, because I needed to rest and recover. But not anymore, now that I CAN, I’m running for life! Someone before me did the same thing and the money they raised funded the research that helped save my life; now it’s my turn!
How I’ve shown cancer who’s the boss
This isn’t my first half marathon and it’s not the first time I’ve asked you to donate on my behalf to LLS. This Queen Bee half marathon will be my 7th endurance event and 6th half marathon (you know I can’t let you forget that I started this crazy journey with the Flying Pig full marathon in 2008 through TNT). I’ve fundraised for LLS in a variety of ways since my diagnosis and have raised over $34,000 thanks to the generosity of my friends and family. I’ve also been involved with LLS as a volunteer and honored hero and have shared my story and message of hope at many meetings and events; including the 2014 Man & Woman of the Year campaign where over $700,000 was raised for LLS (see the video here: http://pages.teamintraining.org/soh/quebee15/jkelly). Outside of fundraising, I’m doing my part to stay healthy so that if and when my cancer returns, I’m ready to FIGHT. As the Mom to two young girls it’s important to me that I show them that with perseverance, hard work, and a little sweat (ok, a lot of sweat), many small strides can make a huge impact!
