Do what you love, love what you do!

I woke up with this great question floating around in my head the other morning. “What if you could run your business the way you run your love?” The more I gave it thought, the more serious I realized were the consequences. It is actually a very serious question. It started me on the path of playing a game I love to play, the “What if” game. Will you play with me?

Christopher

It is with a very heavy heart that I pass along sad news. One of my coaches in Team in Training, Melissa Muilenberg, has lost her nephew Christopher to his long courageous battle against Leukemia on Monday evening. Christopher was just 9 years old. He spent the last month in the hospital battling to get into remission long enough to be able to receive a bone marrow transplant. Christopher was a sweet boy who never complained much and always put on a brave face. He was a loyal NY Mets fan, just like my kids.

The news was sent to us yesterday and with it Melissa has passed along a request to all of us on Team in Training that I would like to pass along to all of you:

Well good things can become an addiction too! After the incredible journey I had experienced as a member of Team in Training and completing the NJ Marathon in April, I just couldn’t help myself. As many of my dear friends and family predicted, I am doing it all again!

I am now training to run in the Marine Corps Marathon on October 28th in Washington DC as a proud member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training. I will be doing this event in loving memory and honor of Sue and Marty Sperber, my dear in-laws who have now both passed on. It is with great honor, love and joy that I dedicate myself to complete this fundraising effort as a tribute to two of the kindest and most loving people I have ever known.

They Were the Definition of Love
In my life, I have been extremely blessed. One of the sweetest blessings I have enjoyed is receiving unconditional love from the two most wonderful people, Martin and Sue Sperber. These two loving and devoted parents and grandparents, showered us all with love and affection whenever they could. They never missed an opportunity to send us cards on every occasion, to be there in our time of need, or to rejoice in our happiness. They embraced me immediately and always treated me like their daughter. There was always a card for me on Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Birthdays, and Anniversaries and they always read “Dear Daughter”, never “Daughter-in-law”. They gave their love and devotion fully and unconditionally, without any expectation of receiving or needing anything in return, not even a thank you. Our needs and happiness were always paramount and placed ahead of their own. I will always cherish their beautiful memory and will be forever grateful for having had them in my life.

As I passed the 20 mile mark during my NJ Marathon run, it was incredibly tough to keep going. I found that it was difficult to even drink water let alone take in nutrition that I needed for fuel. What kept me going when I was running on empty? In a word, Love. When I am running the Marine Corps Marathon my inspiration will be my love for Mama Sue and Papa Marty. I have no doubt that my love and admiration for them will carry me all the way to the finish line .

Cancer, regardless of what type it may be, does not discriminate on who it shall strike next. All of us have been touched by this in our lives and can relate to the pain it causes families all over the world. Let’s work together to do what we can to help those in their time of need. All of us on Team in Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. Please make a donation to support my participation in Team in Training and help advance the Society’s mission.

I hope you’ll visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress.

Thanks for your support!