Three months from now, I will be running the San Diego Marathon. For those of you who may not know me well, know that I am not a runner - in fact, a month ago, running a mile in my neighborhood left me immobile for a week. So why did I sign up for a grueling 26-mile running event in June?

I decided to run this marathon to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I've joined a group of Chicago runners through the Leukemia Society's Team In Training (TNT) program. Through TNT, I receive top-notch marathon training, and funds I raise during my training support research to help find a cure for leukemia and related cancers, including myeloma, Hodgkin's disease, and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

I also made the decision to raise money for leukemia research because I have been blessed with an overwhelmingly healthy and supportive group of family and friends. Finishing this marathon will be one of the hardest and greatest accomplishments I will have achieved in my life, and I will be running it on behalf of my family, my friends, and my Team In Training hero, Bobbie Wiley. Bobbie was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia four years ago, and is active in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

I am committed to raise more than $4000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and I'm confident I will reach this goal with the wonderful support from my friends and family. Their help will get me to the starting line of this marathon and their spirit will help me to its end.

Thanks for visiting this site, and if you have any wisdom to offer about this goal that I've set for myself, please write. Thanks again!

Best,
Chandra