Team LUNGevity

[Maria]

I am posting this to let you all know about Team LUNGevity and the LUNGevity foundation. I am going to post here and a few other spots on the site to make sure that the word gets out...any help, support, or advice you can lend will be greatly appreciated. My apologies if you have read the same post more than once!

First off, as some of you may know I visited and sometimes posted on this site during the 10 months of my father's brave against SCLC. As you can all relate, my family and I were devastated by this insidious disease and our lives will never be the same. After my father's diagnosis, I was shocked to learn just how many people are afflicted by lung cancer and the inadequate amount of funding that goes to researching new treatments and raising awareness. I have my theories on this (stigma of smoking as the main one) but I won't get into that here...what I will tell you about is my determination an effort to make a difference and change the reality of lung cancer today.

I am working with the LUNGevity Foundation (some of you may know of this organization) to help raise funds for research. The Lungevity Foundation is the only organization in the U.S. that is dedicated solely to raising funds for lung cancer research.

My first undertaking has been to organize a team of marathon runners (myself included) to run the Chicago marathon this Oct. 12th to raise money and awareness for lung cancer research. I modeled this project after many other non-for-profits that ask people to raise money while at the same time reaching a personal goal (i.e., running a marathon, long distance biking, etc.) The Lukemia Society has been very successful with their "team in training" programs and as have numerous breast cancer foundations -- i.e., the Y me races and Avon 3-day walks. I wanted to do the same for lung cancer -- especially because I think that such events not only help raise money and awareness but also can play a secondary purpose of dispelling the view/myth that people with lung cancer live unhealthy lifestyles.

The basic idea is to get as many runners as possible and have their family and friends donate money to Lungevity Foundation to support them and their commitment to raise funds for the organization while achieving a major goal - like completing a marathon.

This is our first year doing this -- so we need all the help we can get. And, at this point I should say, that I by no means expect anyone to take any focus away from what is really important in their lives -- their own battle against this disease or caring for someone who is. Believe me, I know that that is the most important thing. I am putting this out there to get as much exposure for our endeavor and to see if anyone would be interested in helping out -- nothing more.

HOW TO HELP:

1.) If you know of anyone who is running the Chicago Marathon who would be interested in joining our team ask them to visit www.lungevity.org/events.htm to learn more ...or you can give them my email address -- mariahmoran@hotmail.com and/or

2.) are you in the chicagoland area? if so, would you want to come out and cheer on our runners the day of the marathon ... we'll give you a t-shirt to help bring more exposure to the cause! and/or

3.) make a donation in support of a runner or to the Team in general. You can learn more about TEAM LUNGevity by logging onto

www.lungevity.org/events.htm

I believe that we can make a difference and hopefully this effort will only grow! thank you so much for reading this long post. And, again, I do not post thinking that this effort by any means takes precedent over what you are all going through.

take care and God bless,

Mariah

[Karen]

Great idea, Mariah!

I am not a runner but I have a cousin in Florida who has done 3-4 marathons in the last 6 years, including the Boston Marathon. Her folks are in Wisconsin, so she just may be doing the Chicago one for a change. I will check it out and give her your email if she is planning to run it. She is actually a skin cancer survivor so I know she can relate. Seems like there is a stigma with that one as well, like "well, what do you expect since you smoked or layed out in the sun?" which is so unfair. As long as that shining sun is still holding us in our place in the universe and our country allows tobacco to be sold, we cannot afford to be apathetic about any cancer victims. They are just as loved by their loved ones as folks with breast cancer and prostrate cancer!!!

Way to take action and start a new phase in this battle.

Karen M.