Asking for your help again

Friends of ours are running for the cure... this time it's for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. He is a cancer survivor. Their sons are friends of our sons, and she is a teacher in the same district as Bob. Here's his site for the "Team in Training" San Diego 1/2 Marathon on June 1, 2008 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: http://www.active.com/donate/tntgla/tntglaJSchlei2.

Obviously, cancer is my pet cause... well, that and the American Stroke Association, because that's what my dad died from. But, this was his cause, too. I grew up knowing that the City of Hope was the organization. Funnily, when I was little, I thought that the City of Hope was the only cancer organization there was, LOL! My grandfather left a large chunk of his estate to the City of Hope. And I grew up knowing that donating blood and registering for the National Bone Marrow Registry was not just something that other people did. I donate blood every 2 months, and am registered in the bone marrow registry. It's a mitzvah (a good deed), and I view it as my duty. My brother also donates regularly (note that I said nothing about my sister, TB). It's just something that we do. I hope that my kids will understand that donating blood is something that everyone should do, and that they are responsible for it as soon as they are able. We discuss the huge responsibility almost every time that I come home with a big ol' gauze wrap on my arm. Imagine if you needed blood and there was none because nobody had donated. Scary.

I'm not telling you this to toot my own horn, to pontificate, lecture, or anything else, even if it's coming across that way. Honestly. I'm just trying to make a point. Leukemia patients depend on people like you and me to become bone marrow registrants, and to donate blood and platelets. They depend on people like you and me to donate money to help researchers find a cure.

I want you to help Jeff meet his goal of $5000. He's only $1000 away. Last year he raised over $15,000 over the course of the year for research and to help patients battling blood-borne cancers. Wow. That's a true hero. So if you meant to donate when I was doing the American Cancer Society Relay for Life last October, or if you always meant to do something... now you can do it. You guys rock! It's never too late to get involved! Donate here.