Once upon a time....

UNDER CONSTRUCTION.....

FF Donors Winter/Spring 2008-09

I want to thank all of my generous FLETCHER FLYER CENTURY DONORS...without YOU there would not be HOPE...there would not be cures!!!

• Rich and Bes Stewart
• Debbie and Dennis Weber
• Susan Phillips
• C. Bowles
• Kim and R.T. Tepper, Jr.
• Blair and Mike Grappone
• Amber Williams
• Mary Jane and Randy Burton
• Robert Zukowski
• William and Ann Lagos
• The Lagos Family Foundation
• Allyson Wyld
• Cornelius Turnage, Sr.
• Lisa Kunz
• Jennie Shaw
• Art and Mary Ritter
• K.E. McFeely
• Lori and Mark Hatcher

WHY I do this....

Some of you know that I am of Italian descent. In Italy, St. Anthony is the patron saint of MIRACLES. That is why I chose to honor a young man I call "MIRACLE MATT" by doing the St. Anthony's Olympic Distance Triathlon last April 2008 and will SWIM the first leg of the AUGUSTA HALF IRONMAN in Georgia on September 27, 2009.

Matt’s recovery and good health today attests to the miraculous efforts being made by LLS researchers to find the cures...made possible by generous donations to the Society by folks like you.

When my college roommate’s younger brother was diagnosed with leukemia over 35 years ago, it was a death sentence. Children only had a 4% survival rate back then...he died 3 months later. Today, through great strides made by LLS researchers, about 86% of children are cured!

I want Matt to continue to be one of those children. His prognosis is excellent. He's now competed “the continuation phase" - TWO years, of chemo treatments EVERY WEEK (though much less harsh than those he underwent while in the throes of T-cell AL), and regular checkups that involved painful spinal taps every three months, standard procedure for cancer survivors.

I dream of a day where the remaining 14%, whose treatments don't currently work, will instead reach adulthood and live to see their own children grow up...that will truly be a miracle!

THE FOLLOWING POSTS from January-April 2008 (in reverse order) chronicle this incredible young man's successful battle back from leukemia and my efforts to raise funds and complete the St Anthony's Olympic Distance Triathlon in his honor as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's TEAM IN TRAINING.