Dear Friends, Family and Colleagues,


This year as I am approaching 50, holding on to 49 as long as I can, I decided I needed a challenge. I wanted to do something both for others and myself. I decided to be a part of the first Team In Training in Stockton, since my job is so closely related to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I will walk the full 26.2 miles in the San Diego Suzuki Rock and Roll Marathon on June 5, 2005.

TNT helps to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Over 75% of the money raised actually goes to the cause of providing support for cancer victims and their families, education and research. It is estimated that leukemia and related cancers will strike more than 100,000 this year and over 60,000 will not survive. Thanks to research funded by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the survival rate for the most common form of leukemia has improved from 4% in 1960 to more than 80% today.

I am walking in honor of Marty Holmes who has had his marrow transplant and is doing well, also Matt Carreusco, and Austin Pemberton all of them are from our area. Also Isabella, Shelcy, Francesca, Annie, John, Mike and Shirley, who I have met through my job at BloodSource. I am also walking in memory of Marie, Ricky, Peter, Tim, Nibel, Dennis and Glen, who have lost their battle from a leukemia or other blood cancers.

Inspired by them, I have pledged to raise $3000.00 in support of the L & L Society’s mission to improve the quality of life for cancer patients and their families. I am asking for your financial support to meet my goal. Whatever you give will make a difference. I am enclosing a pledge form and ask that you return it to me in the enclosed envelope by March 10th. If you are receiving this in e-mail form please follow the instructions.

Hopefully together we can see the numbers change and that we will have less and less people that we will have to walk in memory of. The real strength comes from the patients and their families who face a challenge everyday and their wonderful attitude inspires me to do this. With your help I can walk this marathon for them.


Warm regards,
Liz Ustick