Embedded Files
April 10, 2024
Today I wanted to share with you all about a cause that has been very close to my heart for years, and I know it is also an organization that may have had some relevance in your lives recently.
Years and years ago, my sister got a postcard from an organization called “Team in Training”, and as a runner and former athlete, it piqued her interest. As it happens, this is one of the fundraising campaigns for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS); a national nonprofit organization supporting patient advocacy, research, and fundraising for blood cancer. Because we had some family members who had lymphoma and multiple myeloma, we knew how important this organization was to people who are in treatment or are survivors of blood cancer. She did Team in Training that year, and it caused a ripple. My sister-in-law received a similar postcard a few years later, shortly after her brother had been diagnosed with Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Over the years, we have done many marathon fundraising campaigns and a swim for Team in Training. We organized a family team for Light the Night, a walk held every year as the celebration of light to drive out the darkness of cancer, and for several years I served as a subcommittee chair on the organizing committee. At the time of our last Team in Training fundraiser, we had raised $110,000 for LLS as a family. We decided to take a break from the organization, as I was in the middle of swim coaching and raising kids, but I always knew I would come back to this cause, as it continued to touch our friends and family over the years. Then COVID hit, and LLS was doing all virtual fundraisers. When one of the first friends I met in Pittsboro was talking about Visionaries of the Year, one of LLS’s large local campaigns that I had followed over the years, I jumped at the chance to join her campaign. This allows someone to participate that doesn’t require a run or a walk or swimming across the Hudson River (which is fine by me—not everyone has to run)! I didn’t need a bigger nudge to support the effort; barely a month before, we had gotten Minh’s great news (cancer-free as of January 2024!).
When Minh was in preschool, they were in the same class as my daughter, Jane. Danesha lived in our old neighborhood and our children, who were best friends, played after school often. Minh, our other neighbor, Leo, and Jane were inseparable during those years. Jane went to a different school for pre-K and the children lost touch for a while. As I have told Danesha often, Minh holds a special place in our hearts after those years of friendship and kindness. When we were renting in the neighborhood last year, Finn (my son) was at Minh’s school again, and they reconnected. When Jane and Finn found out about Minh’s illness, it was devastating. They had never had one of their friends get sick like this. Even if you grow up in a family where you get updates on Uncle Chip’s yearly PET scans and several hospital scares, it strikes close to home when the kid is your age. And even though my family has had to face more than our fair share of this disease, I just can’t imagine facing this as a mother, or as a teenager. Minh and Danesha have faced hell this year, and they have met the ordeal with great strength and love. In January, when Danesha shared the good news with CIPM, we all celebrated their recovery and let out a sigh of relief. Our Center is so tight-knit, so it is hard for all of us when someone on our team is struggling. I know Danesha is averse to attention, but we are all very thankful for Minh’s good health and recovery status. No one should have to deal with cancer, and over the years, I have tried to help be a small piece of the fight against it. This year, I am joining my friend Sarah’s team in honor of Minh.
Cancer in teens is rare, partly because of the research supported by LLS at Duke University and all over the country, prognosis now is better than ever. Before the founding of LLS, leukemia was almost a death sentence, especially among the youngest patients. LLS also supports the patients and their immediate families by providing them with patient education, financial support, and a community of survivors to cheer them on. I have spoken to hundreds of survivors and family members over the years, and it is touching to have a personal connection to the results of our efforts. LLS does such a wonderful job of supporting the community, so you see a lot of people giving back who are survivors, researchers, or in the medical community. And I am glad to be taking part in another one of the campaigns for LLS. I would love to have the support of any of you who would like to donate in Minh’s name, or in honor of someone in your life. My fundraising page can be found at https://pages.lls.org/voy/nc/triangle24/crogers. All the proceeds go to support LLS, and much of the funds raised help local patients and research at our universities and hospitals in the Triangle. Thank you for supporting LLS, and the community it helps to support!
(left to right) Jane and Minh in pre-school, Jane and me at the Light the Night Walk, and Leo, Jane and Minh on the playground.
The results for Weeks 1 & 2 for the Wellness Challenge are in! Here is how our teams are doing in the statewide competition:
I also wanted to share the email from the Worksite Wellness Office. We got a great callout in their updates this week!
No matter where your team landed on the leaderboard, remember the biggest win of the challenge is that so many state employees are improving their health together.
BELOW ARE EXCITING HIGHLIGHTS:
· "On March 22, we went on a hike at Lake Raleigh. About halfway through the hike, rain started to pour down! We all kept high spirits and enjoyed seeing a part of campus that's beautiful and serene, even in a rain storm." - Carrie Rogers, CIPM Team Bumblebee from North Carolina State University
· "For the third week in a row, I made a 5+ hour drive to another state. After working all day and making the drive, it was late when I reached the hotel without a lot of steps on my counter. Fortunately, my niece and nephew joined me in the hotel gym, and I was able to add another 1.5 miles of steps to help my daily total. I'm grateful for the family support to increase my activity level during the challenge!" - Sherri Calhoun, Raleigh Road Runners from the Department of Transportation
· "We have had a great time with the challenge so far. Several of us have planned out a great walking path in Dix Park and look forward to walking every day at lunch!" - Pamela Brenot, In Control from the Department of Health and Human Services
· "We've been having fun with this challenge. Our Cashiers and Student Accounts Office is also participating. We have a joint walking group ever day for those available. It has been great fun building relationships while enjoying our beautiful campus." - Demetria Carter, ISIRvivors from UNC Greensboro
Page updated
Report abuse