Having qualified for two Olympic Trials marathons myself, I know first-hand the effort and discipline needed to train for such an endeavor. It takes focus, sacrifice and a self-serving attitude to run at your best.
The marathon can also humble you. It is sometimes used as a metaphor for life and its challenges. This past week, I received a letter from Emily regarding another kind of challenge — the challenge of raising money to fight childhood leukemia.
Why leukemia? On Nov. 5, 2007, Emily’s 4-year-old daughter, Maddie, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Emily and her husband, Brad, were devastated. They also learned they are embarking on a new kind of marathon, one that if all goes well, could last the next two to three years of Maddie’s life. It will feature weekly trips to Maine Medical Center or Maine’ Children’s Cancer Program clinic.
After numerous blood transfusions, x-rays, ultrasounds, spinal taps, bone marrow biopsies and chemotherapy, Emily, Brad and Maddie will be tested by the day to day challenges and costs of fighting this disease. As Emily said in her letter, “This illness touches every aspect of our lives and places significant financial, physical, mental and emotional strain on us.” They’ve been inspired by the support offered to sick children by the Maine Children’s Cancer Program and the resources made available to ensure families benefit from the programs offered to lessen the burden and make their journey seem more manageable.
On Jan. 18, Emily is kicking off a fundraiser for the Maine Children’s Cancer Program called “TwoTrials.” It will run concurrently with her training for the Olympic Trials.
Her initial thought was that with managing treatment, work, family and training, the Olympic Trials were over, but Brad, Maddie and Emily have decided as a family that she should continue. The opportunity to use the running she loves to benefit something beyond herself and give back to her community is a strong sense of purpose. TwoTrials has a financial goal of $52,400, a goal most runners will understand, as Maddie and Emily are now running two 26.2-mile marathons. The fundraiser runs from Jan. 18, Maddie’s fourth birthday, through April 20, the Women’s U.S. Olympic Trials. Every dollar raised will go to the Maine Children’s Cancer Program.
Emily realizes there are many great causes out there, but as I read her assertion why this one was important, I began to understand her cause: “Maybe you decide to give to this cause because you’re a runner and understand the challenge of training for a big race under even the best of circumstances. Maybe you decide to give because you have been touched in some way by cancer. Maybe you decide to give because you want kids to be able to be kids. You want their biggest worry to be if they will be able to stay at the beach all day playing in the sand and salty ocean water and not if they will be stuck again with a needle, if their hair will fall out, or if they will even feel like playing in the sand at the beach again. Whatever your reason for giving, know that every donation (however big or small) helps us toward our ultimate goal. You can be a part of the journey through this new marathon and you can help us reach the finish line.”
Maine Running Company will host a “Fund” Run for Emily called “Emily & Maddie’s Run” on Thursday, April 3 at 6 pm. Every donation of $10 will earn one of Emily and Maddie’s “TwoTrials” bracelets. Come out and help Emily and Maddie reach the finish line.
You can contact emily@twotrials.org with questions or to offer support.