Reporting from Moody Gardens, Galveston, Texas

Before I head to rest and then again to wake at 4:30 AM to prepare for a 7:30 start (my age group goes first along with the elite athletes), I wanted to leave one last dispatch (thanks to Mike W. for bringing his laptop on the trip).

We just finished our Pasta Party, which as planned, offered a healthy dose of "acknowledgment, inspiration, and motivation." And a bit of instruction for our day tomorrow - repetition helps.

We heard from a 31-year old father of three who told of his story of surviving stage 3 Hodgkin's Lymphoma. October 23, 2003 was the day he got the news - the day he'll never for forget. Today, he thanked all of us, and by proxy all you, for making his survival story possible.

We also met the father of two of our team mates - two sisters who decided to join TNT in support of their father who is doing well after being diagnosed with a rare blood cancer. Gleevac has made all the difference to him, a drug made possible by funding from LLS.

Positive energy abounds with this crowd. I wanted to send some of that energy and positivity out to all of you through the ether. Your support and donations have been noticed. And from the survivors I met this evening, I'm able to send you their thanks and appreciation.

Final pre-race day

I'm off to Galveston. About a five hour drive from Fort Worth.

Today calls for a packet-up, a pre-race meeting, an open water swim, and a pasta party organized by TNT.

This will be my third pasta party with TNT. These are remarkable evenings.

The team gathers to dine and "carbo-load." Add in visiting family. Add in very enthusiastic TNT staff (gotta love 'em). Throw in a few coaches with last minute inspiring and soothing words and bits of advice. Bring forth the honored heroes - cancer survivors who, like Doug Campbell speaking last year, share amazing stories of fighting and overcoming their disease.

The net effect reminds everyone why we started this journey in the first place. It also takes us out of ourselves and our own nervous energy, bringing our attention back to those heroes and the Society we're striving to support.

Thanks to all of you once more who I have the honor of representing, donors and supporters, the real Team behind Team Goodman.

And finally, watch this space for race results soon...

Paying it forward, most of us are one slip away

A few thoughts on health care...

Expenses due to catastrophic health care costs are among the tops three causes of personal bankruptcy filings (the other two are loss of a job and divorce) - Source, BBC News.

The employer based health care system in the US struggles to keep pace with unrelenting increases in health care costs. The answer: shift more of the burden back to the employee. It's a trend to which we can all relate.

Among the most pressing issues in our current presidential race is who has the best plan to address the problems of health care in America.

Very few of us have enough in the savings account to deal with a true health care catastrophe. Insurance seems to be less and less of a safety net every year. Perhaps our government will play a bigger role to everyone's benefit. One thing is clear, America's non-profit organizations carry a huge load in meeting the needs of those among us stuck hardest by disease and which require prolonged and costly health care. It's a strength of our country we should be proud of. Financial Support is a big part of the mission of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Help in this mission. Donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Pay it forward and hope you never have to cash in that good karma (yes I know that's a very bad mixed metaphor).

In memory of Mr. Gerhold, my high school math teacher

I recently learned about the death of my freshman year high school math teacher, James Gerhold, of cancer.

My two years at Clay High School in South Bend, Indiana seem like a lifetime ago. I remember that I really liked Mr. Gerhold, that he was an excellent teacher and a decent man and I learned a lot from him. I'm very sorry to hear of his death. My deepest condolences go out to his family and friends. Reading his guest book, it's plain to see he touched many lives as all great teachers do.

James H. Gerhold, 61, of South Bend, IN passed away at 12:40PM Monday, January 21, 2008 in his home. Jim taught math for the South Bend Community School Corporation at Clay High School for 33 years and retired in 2002. He also taught at Raffi Naftali Riff Yeshiva. Jim was born on November 5, 1946 in South Bend, IN to Robert H. and Dorothy L. (Enfield) Gerhold. On May 31, 1969 in South Bend, IN he married Suzanne (Carroll) Gerhold, who survives.

Along with his wife, Suzanne Gerhold; his mother, Dorothy Gerhold; and his sister, Janice S. Gerhold both of Mishawaka, survive.

Jim was a 1965 graduate of South Bend Central High School and graduated from De Pauw University in 1969 where he was a member of Sigma Nu. He earned his master's degree in mathematics from the University of Notre Dame. He was a member of the Activities Board at Southfield Village and a member of TCU Advisory Board. In his later years, he joined the South Bend Bridge Club, which he really enjoyed. Jim played varsity basketball for South Bend Central and DePauw University under two legendary coaches, Jim Powers and Elmer McCall. He was an accomplished woodworker and left behind many beautiful pieces for friends and family to enjoy. Jim also loved traveling, but he was equally content to sit at home and read a good mystery.

Memorial services will be held at 7:00PM Thursday, January 24, 2008 at Palmer Funeral Home-River Park, 2528 Mishawaka Avenue. The family will receive friends from 3:00PM until time of services in the funeral home on Thursday.

Contributions in memory of James H. Gerhold may be made to Multiple Myeloma Research Fund; Miles for Myeloma, IU Simon Cancer Center, P.O. Box 660245, Indianapolis, IN 46266-0245

Update, eternal wisdom from Honored Hero Jordan

I've copied an except here below from Jordan's most recent online Journal entry:

As I continue my recovery, I’m learning the difference between ‘well’ and ‘healthy’. Patients can leave the clinic healthy and cured, but may not be well....Right now, I am definitely recovering well and quickly, and am well...

Thank goodness! He continues:

There is no rhyme or reason to who gets it. It doesn’t care if you’re in shape or not, it doesn’t care if you have a family or not, it doesn’t care if you’ve got the insurance coverage or the money to handle the medical bills—it just takes and takes and takes from whomever crosses its path...

But we can take back. We can’t take back our normal kidney function and we can’t take back the health we had before we had to do the things we have to do to survive cancer, but we can take lessons—we can learn. WE CAN BE WELL. We can learn to be happy with what we have...

...in time and with training I’ve been able to take back my body and compete in strenuous athletic events that even most normal people cannot do. I’m referring specifically to the triathlons I did...Cancer took my strength and athleticism, and I took it back...

Read the full entry on Jordan's CaringBridge Journal. I'm sure you'll be struck and I am by the fighting spirit of Jordan and his family and by the elements of eternal wisdom Jordan has earned through his multiple bouts with cancer.

Thanks and Happy Holidays!

CaringBridge. Free Websites That Support And Connect Loved Ones During Critical Illness.

A short history of Team In Training's 20 years

It's been too long since I've shared a heart-thumping video. Here's a good one, produced as part of the 20th anniversary of TNT. Enjoy!

Why we do this - Jordan's story continues

Jordan Deathe is the Honored Hero for our North Texas team.

He's got t-cell lymphoma. He just turned 22. He's already completed an event with TNT. He's been back in the hospital these past few months and this week he will undergo a bone marrow transplant.

He found a perfect bone marrow match. Jordan and his doctors are very hopeful.

Jordan shares his story via this Web site provided by Caring Bridge; he and his family keep a regularly updated journal of Jordan's progress and status.

I've met Jordan just once at our Summer Team kick-off, just prior to his cancer returning in this current relapse. He's a regular guy. As his writing attests he's also quite extraordinary. Take a few minutes to meet Jordan and consider offering a few words of support. He asks that everyone sign his guest book. It's not too much to ask, don't you think?

Mission Moment

This message is from Danielle. She is one of the newest Tri Honored Heroes.

Dear Teammates,

Thank you for taking the time to train and to do something that will matter a great deal to all of us who have been affected by a blood related cancer. The funds that you raise will help the Society to continue to fund research.

Over the past few years, many research advances have been made due to the efforts of people like yourselves who have joined Team in Training. The development of Gleevac was due in part to the funding of Dr. Brian Druker received from the Society's TNT program. Gleevac has put my CML in remission and has allowed me to lead a very active life-keeping busy with high school studies, club soccer, and the normal activities of a sixteen-year-old.

I hope that I will have the opportunity to meet you over the next couple of months.

Go TEAM!
Danielle

Mission Moment

A note from Misty, our North Texas TNT Coordinator:

Want to know how much you matter? Read on...

• In the 1960's the five-year survival rate for Myeloma was 12% - Today it is 33%!
• In the 1960's the five-year survival rate for Leukemia was 14% - Today it is 49%!
• In the 1960's the five-year survival rate Hodgkin Lymphoma was 40% and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma was 31% - Today Hodgkin's five year survival rate is 86% and Non-Hodgkin's five year survival is 63%

I wanted to share this outlook with you, who are the real support behind this effort!