Team Shrinking Jeans Bash!

For the next 2 weeks over at the Sisterhood, we are having a Team Shrinking Jeans Bash! What is this Bash I speak of, you might be asking? It's a HUGE party with door prizes and an awesome Grand Prize of $400 cash! Yes, cash!

What is Team Shrinking Jeans anyway? Well, a group of 16 Sisters and one Brother are training to run the San Diego Rock N Roll 1/2 Marathon through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team in Training Program (TNT). Through TNT, Team Shrinking Jeans will be training for the race AND raising $48,900 for LLS. Isn't that amazing?

You can read more about our amazing team here, and find out why each of us is doing this here.

How can you join the Bash? Simple! Donate to Team Shrinking Jeans through our secure online team fundraising page. For every $5 you donate, you'll be entered to win one of over 30 fabulous door prizes. If you donate $25, not only will you get 5 chances to win door prizes, but you'll also be entered to win the granddaddy of all prizes: CASH!

Did you know?

Every 4 minutes one person is diagnosed with a blood cancer.

An estimated 139,860 people in the United States will be diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma in 2009. New cases of leukemia, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma account for 9.5 percent of the 1,479,350 new cancer cases diagnosed in the United States this year*.

Overall incidence rates per 100,000 population for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma are almost identical for data reported in 2008 and 2009 [(leukemia 12.2, 2009 vs.12.3, 2008); (NHL, 19.5, each year); (Hodgkin lymphoma, 2.8, each year); (myeloma, 5.6, each year)].

Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma will cause the deaths of an estimated 53,240 people in the United States this year. These blood cancers will account for nearly 9.5 percent of the deaths from cancer in 2009 based on the 562,340 total cancer-related deaths.

Every ten minutes, someone dies from a blood cancer. This statistic represents nearly 146 people each day, or more than six people every hour. Leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer among children and young adults under the age of 20. In general, the likelihood of dying from most types of leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma decreased from 1996 to 2005 (the most recent data available).

*Facts and statistics from Leukemia, Lymphoma, Myeloma Facts 2009-2010, June 2009.

Those are some pretty eye-opening statistics, huh?

So head on over and join in the Bash! Check out the fabulous prizes, click on over and donate, and be sure to check in everyday for Happy Hour!

Ready. Set. GO!

Today, January 31, officially kicks off my training with Team Shrinking Jeans and Team in Training for the San Diego Rock & Roll Half Marathon.

OMGthisisreallyhappening!?

Am I scared? Uh, yeah. But not as much as I thought I'd be. Our coach, Coach Joe, is so awesome. In fact, the whole Team in Training support team is - um - AWESOME. We have guidance through everything: the training, the fund raising.

With that much backup, it's hard NOT to feel confident.

Today, I visited the site of my honored hero, Shelby.


I am running this race in her honor. She has an amazing story - diagnosed with Acute Lymphatic Leukemia at four, three years of chemo and considered cured in 2007. Today, she is a beautiful, vibrant fourteen year old. Unfortunately, she does suffer from lingering effects of her treatment - but through it all, she maintains a positive outlook.

Perspective, people. If Shelby can beat ALL, and remain positive through her day to day struggles, I can train hard, finish the race and raise a ton of money for people like Shelby - for research, to aid in their treatment, to make THEIR lives better.

So.

You know it's coming. And I'm going to become more and more obnoxious as the fund raising deadline approaches.

Do you have a few bucks to spare? I know money is tight right now, but it's TAX DEDUCTIBLE.

You need more? Here are some reasons you should consider giving to LLS:

• An estimated 912,938 people in the United States are living with, or are in remission from, leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma or myeloma.
• Every four minutes, someone new is diagnosed with blood cancer.
  
• Every 10 minutes, someone dies.
• Leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer among children under the age of 20.
• Lymphomas are the most common blood cancers and incidence increases with age.
• The survival rate for myeloma is only 37.1 percent.

What does the LLS do with the funds raised? Glad you asked - here's a snippet from the Team in Training website:

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services. We have invested more than $680 million in research since 1949 - over $69 million in 2009 - specifically targeting leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Last year alone, LLS made 4.9 million contacts with patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals.

Wow. How humbling and inspiring to be part of this effort!

And. And and and....

I'm going to sweeten the deal. Every donation between today and the end of February (that's the 28th) will be entered into a drawing for either a $25 dollar gift card to Amazon, or an amazing coffee gift pack of my favorite Seattle coffees! Winner gets to choose!

How to donate?

Make a secure credit card donation here, on my Team In Training fund raising page.

Send me a check made out to the Leukemia and Lymphoma society - email me at heather@shrinkingjeans for snail mail info.

Lastly, if you own a business - The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans is offering amazing advertising opportunities - and all proceeds go directly to LLS. Please email me if you'd like a copy of our media kit.

Whew! Thanks for reading. That is all...for now.

For Colleen

Today I got news I knew was coming.

I knew it was coming, but I was not ready. Not in the least.

There are some people that you lose contact with, but never forget. For me, my friend Colleen was one of those people. We met in grade school. We played soccer together. She was slight and sprightly with the hugest blue eyes you've ever seen. She had a super cute giggle. Collen was someone who had a truly pure, beautiful soul. Kind, funny, sweet. All those things.

In a word, lovely.

Colleen and I have not been in close contact since we graduated high school, but I have thought of her often. I would get periodic updates from her mom, who I'd run into from time to time.

About five years ago, I was out at my parents' house and her mom showed up. I was the only one at the house. She hugged me hard and we sat down. She told me Colleen had been diagnosed with breast cancer. As she looked in my eyes, her pain bored down into my heart. I ached for her.

Over the past few years, I've heard news from time to time. I could not even fathom the fact that Colleen would lose her battle with cancer. It just never crossed my mind.

I found her on Facebook, and watched in awe as this woman, who was incredibly sick, was living her life with so much vigor.

Colleen lost her battle last night. She was at home. She was, no doubt, enveloped in love.

On October 24, Colleen was going to ride in the Livestrong Challenge in Austin. As of tonight, she has raised $40,830 for the cause.

Amazing.

Tonight, I will cry for Colleen. I will mourn her and celebrate her. I will think of her loving husband and her wonderful family.

I will hope for peace and comfort for those who loved Colleen.

And there were a lot of us.

(If you are so inclined, Colleen's fundraising page is still up. How awesome would it be to get her WAY past her fundraising goal?)

Put a Roof Over Someone's Head

I've known Andrea and her family for years. Just recently, her brother Rusty and his family packed up and moved to Liberia. They're doing some great things over there.

She just posted about an orphanage over there that is in desperate need of a roof to keep the rain out. During the rainy season, they get at least an INCH A DAY for five months. These children are sleeping in damp (at best) beds.

Head on over to Andrea's Blog, The Train To Crazy, for a simple way you can make a huge difference for these children.

Grateful.

Today we walked.

Today, G and I raised $360 for The March of Dimes in honor of Team James & Jake.

Today, we made a difference for a family with struggles we'll hopefully never have to experience.

Today, I look at my beautiful baby boy and am in awe of his perfection, his imperfection, HIM.

Today, I know how lucky I am in experiencing an uneventful, healthy pregnancy.

Today, I will hug my family a little tighter.

Today, I am grateful.

Shameless!

All I can say is wow.

WOW!

I have not done any fundraising for as long as I can remember. Maybe even high school. And it was a little weird for me to scour my email contacts and send out an email asking for donations for the March of Dimes - but I did it. I even used social networking to my advantage and have been 'hinting' by way of my status update on Facebook.

And boy, did I get a response. In three days, I have raised $310 for the March of Dimes in the name of Team James & Jake! It is so touching that people are still willing to donate in such tough economic times. Seriously. Touching. I get a little choked up thinking about it.

So, to everyone reading who has donated, THANK YOU. From the depth of my heart, thank you!

And if you've been kicking around the idea, stop kicking and please consider donating a few dollars. Every little bit counts. The link to the donation page is on my sidebar - it's very easy.

I'm not begging. Okay. Kind of. I'm just so close to my goal of $400 (and surpassing that goal would be OH SO SWEET!).

I know I want an organization like the March of Dimes fueling further research into taking care of our babies when they are at their most vulnerable. And just think how much we can save in medical bills if funds are put towards educating women about prenatal care? Giving them the tools to give birth to a healthy, thriving child? Education and prevention, people!!

Whew! Okay, I'm stepping away from the computer now. My virtual soapbox!

Marching for Babies

On Saturday, G and I will be participating in the March of Dimes March for Babies. I've been reading a lot about it over on Beth's blog, I Should Be Folding Laundry. And I have decided to walk for Team James and Jake.

I was turned on to Beth's blog through You Capture, a weekly photo 'assignment' that has really helped me get out of the house and do something creative and constructive - rather than stew over being unemployed. I've been reading her regularly and am very inspired, amused, and often touched by her openness. She talks about such a painful subject with such raw, beautiful emotion - I'm sure her candid words have helped many people struggling with the loss of a child.

Yesterday, Beth launched an Esty Shop with some of her beautiful photographs. Through April 30, all proceeds go to Team James and Jake. Check it out - you won't be sorry!

By the way, if you feel so inclined to sponsor me, please click on my March of Dimes button on the sidebar - it will take you to the donation site. If you prefer, you can also sponsor Beth directly, she is trying to raise $5000. She's almost there! You can find a link to her page here.