I did it! I finished a Tri!

Hello everyone – Here’s an update for you all…

Last Saturday was a momentous occasion. Not only did it mark the ½ way point of our training for the Lavaman Triathlon in HI, but I also participated in and finished my first triathlon!

Saturday was the 7th annual LOUIE BONPUA TRIATHLON on treasure island. The Iron Team joined us for this event, but while they did an Olympic Triathlon (the length we’ll be doing in March), we did a Sprint. That means that we swam .25 miles, biked 13 miles and ran 3. And I finished! I was tired I was sore but oh so happy to cross that finish line!

Doing all of this has meant stepping out of my comfort zone athletically, but now it's time to step out more and ask for donations. Believe it or not, this is the hardest part. I'm not use to asking for money and I know that times are hard right now. But I need your help as so do those battling blood cancers. I am committed to raise $5,000. This is a lot of money, but it's dispersed efficiently: 75% to Program Services: professional and public education, patient and community service and research and 25% for training and the event. As you can see below, any size donation helps.

$1,000 supports one week's salary for a medical researcher at UCSF, Stanford, or Berkeley who may discover key information to developing curative treatments for blood cancers.

$500 provides a blood cancer patient with financial assistance for one year to help with transportation and co-pays or allows 10 patients to log on to a webcast and hear the latest information in treatment for their disease.

$200 funds one Family Support Group meeting of 9-15 participants -- the SF Bay Area chapter has 9 monthly support group meetings.

$150 allows 5 patients to make a First Connection with a trained peer volunteer.

$100 provides 3 patients access to an information teleconference.

$75 is the average cost of tissue typing to become a bone marrow donor.

$50 is the cost of a CT scan

$40 is the cost of sending a comprehensive packet of information for children with cancer.

$35 pays for transportation expenses for a patient living in Northern California's most rural areas to treatment at a comprehensive cancer center.

$25 covers a single prescription co-payment.

$5 is the cost of sending a newly diagnosed patient information about support and their disease.

All donations are tax deductible and any amount you give gets me closer to my commitment and finding a cure. So far I’ve raised 1,000 of the $5,000 I committed to. What happens if I don't reach $5,000 you ask? It comes out of my pocket.

As I said, I know times are rough, but donations can be split up. For example if you would like to donate $50, but only allocate so much for extras per month, spread it out over the next three months. Actually, giving makes you feel good, so wouldn't you like to give three times instead of just once?

Once again, thank you to everyone who’s already donated. You support has meant so much to me. The generosity of the various online communities has been beyond my imagination – thank you all.

And now for the details:

If you wish to donate online you can do so here:

http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/lavatri09/smuellerboddy

If you wish to write a check, please make it out to the Leukemia Lymphoma society and mail it to me:

Shawn Mueller-Boddy
429 Chase Street
Mountain House, CA

Thank you again

Shawn