March 15, 2010
Dear Family, Friends, Neighbors, and Colleagues,
Just as you were wondering what I was going to try next, I’ve decided! I have registered to complete my first half marathon! That’s right - I’ll be running 13.1 miles (GASP) in Fairfield, CT on June 27, 2010. With this endeavor I am pursing two goals: First, to finish, second, and more importantly, to raise $2,000 in charitable contributions to support the fight against leukemia and related cancers. I will be part of Team in Training (www.teamintraining.org) in support of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s mission.
Since I can just about run around the block right now, it’s a major undertaking on my part but I am committed to making it happen with the help of Team In Training’s (TNT) running staff. I’m asking you to help in reaching this goal by donating to the cause – you can think of it as the ‘Ani getting to the finish line cause’ (please spare me the details of your taking bets on this) or the ‘Part you’ll play in funding research for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’. The latter of the two is why I’m doing it.
TNT trains thousands of athletes across the country every year to complete endurance events while they raise funds to help the Society achieve its mission of curing blood-related cancers and providing support for patients and families. If you did not already know, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is a highly respected national health agency dedicated to finding a cure for the disease that is the number one killer of children – leukemia – and to improving the quality of life of these patients and their families.
Since its inception, TNT has raised over 1 billion dollars in the fight against Leukemia, and in the past twenty-five years, the research funded by LLS and people just like you and me, have helped improve the survival rate of childhood Leukemia from 5% to 80%! Monies from TNT helped LLS to fund the approval of Gleevec, the first drug that directly turns off the signal of a protein known to cause cancer. Gleevec is enabling patients with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) to live normal lives.
Even with these remarkable advances in treatment, someone still dies from a blood-related cancer every ten minutes. Being involved with an organization like TNT has made me appreciate the amounts of individuals, young and old, who are faced with the challenge of overcoming these diseases every day. I know that my fundraising will contribute and help bring the society “one step closer” to finding a cure for leukemia, lymphoma, and other blood related diseases.
Team in Training is giving me all the tools I need to complete the race - now I need your help!
My goal is to raise $2,000 by April 30, 2010 and I have tremendous faith that I can reach this goal with your help. Your donation today can make all the difference to the thousands of people who need your support (of course, any donation received after this date is also greatly appreciated). This year I have the privilege to not only run in honor of all the blood related cancer patients in the world, but especially for my dear friend Violet Nazaretian who is currently fighting Lymphoma with total grace and courage.
How can you help? It’s easy! ALL contributions, large and small, will be greatly appreciated; anything you can give to help me cross the finish line will be one step closer to a cure for blood-related cancer. Please feel free to either mail your donations to my home address (checks made payable to Leukemia and Lymphoma Society) or make a donation via credit card at the following website: http://pages.teamintraining.org/ct/fair10/agulbenk.
In addition, please copy this letter and pass it along to family, friends, co-workers and anyone else you may come across or send them to my website. Don’t forget to check to see if your employer has a Matching Gifts program – your donation could be doubled! Also, if you know of a business that would like to sponsor me, I can advertise their name on our jerseys for a donation of $1,000 or more. I want to thank you in advance for your support and I will keep you updated on my training.
I hope you will be cheering for me over the next few months as I take on this tremendous challenge. Together, you and I can change lives… one mile at a time! Contributions are tax deductible and will further the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s lifesaving program of research and patient aid. Please find it in your heart to make a donation.
In closing, I would like to thank you in advance for your support, time and generosity. I am confident that together we can win the fight against these cancers and give those with cancer, and their families, a greater hope for the future. Call me at (203) 257-6916 if you have any questions. With your generosity, my commitment and lots of blisters on my toes, we’ll be affecting the health and well being of millions of lives! Please keep those in need of healing (and those in training!) in your prayers.
Peace & Love
Ani Gulbenk
You can make an online donation by visiting my secure web site:
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