tnt

A friend of mine is participating in a charity program—Team in Training—in the race to find a cure for leukemia and other blood cancers. I really admire that she could physically devote herself so much to such a meaningful event. This is a very good cause. Really touching!
I attach the link and the original e-mail from her below, and sincerely appeal to your sense of kindness: Please Support Her and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society!

• http://www.active.com/donate/tntgsf/tntgsfMTam

Hello, fellow SB'ers. I wanted to share with you some exciting news! I've joined Team In Training (TNT) in the race to find a cure for leukemia and other blood cancers. TNT is the world's largest endurance sports training program, and it will train me to run the California International Marathon in Sacramento, CA on 4 December 2005. In exchange, I will raise funds for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The Society is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to find a cure for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Funds raised will be used for leukemia research, community education, and patient services.
These diseases are types of cancer. They are known as blood cancers because they are malignancies of blood-forming tissues - bone marrow, lymph nodes, and the spleen. Marrow is the spongy center of bones that makes blood cells. When leukemia strikes, millions of abnormal white blood cells accumulate in tissues, preventing the production of normal red and white blood cells and platelets. Leukemia causes infections because leukemic cells lack the infection-fighting ability of normal white cells, anemia because production of red cells drops as leukemic cells increase in number in the marrow, and excessive bleeding because clotting ability decreases if the number of platelets is very low. Often, leukemia leads to death.
Leukemia is the leading disease killer of children in the United States. Every nine minutes, someone dies from blood cancers; every five minutes, someone in the U.S. is diagnosed. Currently, there is no known way to prevent blood cancers. It strikes children and adults of all ages, all races, and both sexes. However, it can be treated effectively. With research and treatment, leukemia patients now have a longer life expectancy than ever. The five-year survival rate for leukemia has more than tripled in the past 40 years from 14% in 1960 to 46% today.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is dedicated to finding the cause, treatments, and cures of leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and myeloma. Since 1954, the Society has awarded more than $360 million in research grants in the fields of hematology and oncology. Finding a cure for blood cancers seems like an insurmountable goal, but TNT's approach is to, "chang(e) lives, one mile at a time." I've logged over 20 miles in the first ten days and I plan to run hundreds more in the next 16 weeks - think of how many lives can be changed.
So, I'm asking for your support in the fight against blood cancers. Please sponsor me in the 23rd running of the California International Marathon by donating to Team In Training and to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The most convenient method is to donate online at
www.active.com/donate/tntgsf/tntgsfMTam
Every donation is greatly appreciated! Thank you for your attention and support!
Regards,
Makie
P.S. I will periodically update my website with photos and progress reports in case you're interested.

unprecedented shuttle repair a success

It used to be one of my childhood dreams-to be an astronaut! Even now, I still dream of one day, before I die, human beings could travel between stars and planets. Watching Space Shuttle's news, I felt the dream is a step closer.


::space shuttle slideshow