Paying Forward..............

[Guest guest]

Hello everyone

I have waited for what seems like ages to talk about what we are

planning to do. But I think its like when one stops smoking……… tell

everyone around you and then you will simply have to make a success

of it! So here goes.

We had planned a road trip back up to Alaska and out west in our

motorhome at the end of July this year. Then came Christmas and our

motorhome burned when we were on the way to Florida – Christmas

Day! Then right after we bought the new one, SPll, , our 22

year old son, was diagnosed with CML.

And the learning curve began. I learned that is able to live

because of other people that gave, donated and cared more than I

ever before imagined. He has a chance at a good and long life

because of the many, many people out there who went through the

trials, suffered through awful side effects, and supported family

and friends by enabling the research and development of the current

and amazing medications.

Never would I have dreamed that my son would have cancer. Never

would I have imagined that, having cancer, he would be able to take

a pill a day and be able to move on through his life with relatively

little change. So far. I never imagined that while having a child

with cancer, I could actually get a good night's sleep. I could

never have imagined my life actually improving, getting deeper,

because of the people I have met on this journey.

He can, I do and it is!

Now it's time for us to honor those that gave - gave of their time,

their effort and themselves. It's time for us to " Pay Forward " and

help to make more research and development possible. It is my time

to try and make a difference and it's time to say thank you to

everyone that has a hand in my son living!

A wonderful lady who has CML and ran in the Alaska half marathon

last year told of an amazing moment during the run when she saw

others on the Leukemia Team running towards her. She realized then

that it was those people that had helped her. This is the story

that really got us thinking. Thanks Gale! It's all of you out

there that have helped - hopefully this way we can help too.

This way we can honor you who have given a chance.

So. We are still going to Alaska at the end of July in the

motorhome. But this is not going to be just an ordinary `holiday'

anymore. It's going to be a cross country journey that will

hopefully raise a goodly amount of money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma

Society. We are going to paint/wrap the motorhome so that there is

no doubt that we are raising money for this cause

We are taking this public and will be aiming for donations as well

as pledges per mile, or any other type of donation that will help

the L & LS. The last two trips we did, we traveled about 15000 miles

each time and spent a total of two months on the road. We are

aiming for the same this year.

Now you know the plan. If anyone has any ideas please share... we

are totally open to any and all suggestions – this is all very new

to us.

It is important that everyone understands that this is NOT a

fundraiser for in any way shape or form. All funds will be

going directly to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

I have put a blog site together about and the links to what

will become the " Road Runners USA - Ride The Road for Cure " site are

on there: www.livingwithcml.blogspot.com

I have to say an enormous thank you to everyone who has shown such

tremendous caring on the boards – I know that I would not have been

able to deal with this cancer in had it not been for all the

caring, sharing and love coming from all of you. I hope that in

some way, this journey will give each of you something back.

Please feel free to email me directly if you have any ideas or

comments or anything that will help make this a raving success!

Love and Light

Annie