Dear Friends and Family,
Together we can make a difference for everyone affected by blood and other cancers.
Have you ever heard of Team in Training? Last month I sent out letters asking this same question and explaining how
and why I got involved with this great group and its beneficiary, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). If you
didn’t receive that letter, you can read it at www.steveintraining.com.
This letter is intended to explain why you should get involved!
Since its inception 20 years ago Team in Training (TNT) has trained 304,000 people to participate in marathons, half
marathons, century (100 mile) cycle rides and triathlons and those people have raised over $800 million to support
blood cancer research and patient services. In that time LLS has made the following advances in the treatment of
patient with blood cancers:
Research Funding:
Over $550 million total in research grants; $64.7 million in 2007 alone.
Patient Services:
1987-Financial assistance was provided to 5,500 patients.
2007-Financial assistance was provided to 16,958 patients.
Therapeutic Advances:
Myeloma:
1987-Five-year survival was 12%.
2007-Five-year survival has nearly tripled with major increases in patients’ quality of life.
Chronic Myelogenus Leukemia:
1987-Five-year survival was less than 55%.
2007-Five-year survival is 95% with high quality of life.
All of this has happened because people chose to get involved with TNT and LLS. My Team and I have chosen to
train for a triathlon and raise money for LLS. You can also choose to participate in Team in Training. We need all
the Teammates we can get. To learn how, go to www.teamintraining.org. Or, you can help by making a donation and
passing this letter on to as many people as you can think of.
Here’s how to make a donation:
Go to my personal TNT website http://www.active.com/donate/tntdms/tntdmsSBraun ,
or complete the enclosed form and return it by April 20, 2008. If you can’t send your donation by that date, that’s OK,
send it when you can.
Many of us train in honor of a cancer patient close to us, and we also have Honored Teammates, local blood cancer
patients who cheer us along and serve as our inspiration. Dawn Kulesa, a personal trainer and marathon runner who
was diagnosed with Stage IV Non Hodgkin’s Follicular Lymphoma in June 2007 is one of our Honored Teammates.
During her treatment, Dawn continued to train, sometimes walking as much as eight miles and plans to participate in
three marathons in 2008.
Gabbi Martin, 12, is another Honored Teammate who was diagnosed with Leukemia at the age of three. Now a very
active 6th grader, Gabbi’s cancer has been in remission for over seven years. She and her family attend many Team
in Training functions and serve as incredible inspiration to us all.
If you or someone you know has been affected by cancer, and you would like me to add that person to my list of
Honored Teammates, please send me his/her name and I will display it on race day
With Love,
Steven Braun
Triathlete