good.stuff.

so....when we started this experience, we were running in honor of Matt, my cousin's boyfriend, right? Well I am happy to report that we are now running in honor of Matt, my cousin's FIANCÉE!! :) Last month, Matt and Christina got engaged and we are looking forward to a wonderful wedding in 2011.

This is a video that Matt and Christina created. It is so sweet and I just couldn't help but share it.

Fundraiser Success

The fundraiser earlier this month was a huge success!!! Cassie and her crew at the Royal Canvas Painting Parlor were so wonderful. Everyone had a great time painting and I am so grateful for the support I have from my family and friends. I truly am so blessed.

Here are some pictures from that night...

Jaime is such a great teacher - she was so awesome that night to offer her teaching for free (after attending another fundraiser early that morning...good karma for Jaime!) My sister also came down from Austin...it was my nephew, Aiden's first birthday so I was really touched that Sara took some time to be there on such an important day!



one group painted guitars...

I was so impressed by how many guys showed up! I know that a painting party isn't at the top of their list of fun things to do on a Saturday night so I was super thankful that they came!



another group painted bikes...and my cousin Anna came all the way down from Dallas to join us!! How awesome is she?


Here we are with our "Sofia" paintings...the original painter was inspired by her Godmother to paint this - so special!

Steph & Abby painting away...such great friends I have!!!

Overall, such a wonderful night...tons of fun and we were able to raise some funds for the Lance Armstrong foundation in the process!!!

Numbers

A while back I received an email from a woman named Amy. A mutual friend of ours had shared this blog with her because Amy's husband, Chris (who goes by "Butch") has been fighting Ocular Melanoma for two years now.

Amy shared with me some facts about Ocular Melanoma(OM). OM is the most common form of eye cancer in adults but is still considered rare (affecting 6 people per million each year in the US). Half of the people who are diagnosed with OM develop metastasis, which is always fatal. Fortunately, Butch remains free of metastasis. He was treated with a radiation plaque which was implanted into his eye for a week and is now almost completely blind in his affected eye.

The medical terms and the statistics are scary but what really moves me are the other details and numbers that Amy shared...She and Butch have been married for 14 years. Amy describes Butch as her best friend for over 15 years and a wonderful father to their 2 children, ages 9 and 12. Those are the numbers that matter. She says that they live in fear that his next scan will show that his cancer has spread and that she is desperate for more awareness, funding and research for her husband and for her children. It is gut-wrenching to think of Amy and her wonderful family having to live in fear and desperation. I pray for them every day and am honored to run for families like this.


28 million people are living with cancer today. 28 million! People just like Butch who have families and friends who love them and who are fighting with them against this horrible disease.

LIVESTRONG at School

Each month I get an email from Tom Whiteside at LIVESTRONG with updates about fundraising efforts, race information and (my favorite) programs & partnerships that LIVESTRONG participates in to accomplish their mission of "improving the lives of people affected by cancer".

The program hilighted this month is LIVESTRONG at School

In my email, Mr. Whiteside states, "With one in three people in the U.S. facing a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, children in classrooms everywhere are likely to be dealing with cancer right now—with a grandparent, parent, family member, friend or teacher. Research shows that 25 percent of cancer survivors in the U.S. have school-aged children. Also, siblings of children with cancer report that the support they receive at school is just as important as the support they receive at home.
The LIVESTRONG at School curriculum offers online lessons for grades K–12 to help you teach your students about cancer in a way that is age-appropriate, inspiring and empowering. You can review and make use of the free LIVESTRONG at School Curriculum at any time."

The lessons provided online include:
national standards
clear learning objectives
engaging videos
extension activities
a check for understanding
ways that students can get involved in the fight against cancer

What a great program to help ease some of the worry and fear caused by cancer in the hearts of our children by offering them an opportunity to learn and understand more about the disease. Keep up the good work, LIVESTRONG!

painting party fundraiser

So it's set! We are having a fundraiser at The Royal Canvas Painting Parlor on Saturday, December 11th @ 7:30 pm! If you are able to attend please keep that date open to join us. For more information, you can view their website here.

This is a newly established business here in San Antonio and the owner has graciously agreed to host a night of painting classes with a percentage of the profit earned that night to go to our fundraising efforts for Team LIVESTRONG. I have had the pleasure of attending a painting class there already and let me tell you, it was a great time! For $35 they provide all the materials you need and a teacher to lead you through the creation of your painting. There will be three different painting options for you to choose from that night:
1. Funky Guitar

2. Bike

3. Sofia Dabalsa


To reserve a seat, simply go to the class calendar & click on the painting you'd like to re-create.

It is BYOB so invite your friends, grab a bottle of wine, some snacks (Central Market is right down the road!) and join us for a really great night!

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask! And please invite any friends you would like to join in the fun...the more the merrier!

Thanks,
Kerith

1st Request! (yes....ALREADY!)

First and foremost, it is important for me to focus on WHY I am doing this. As I mentioned in my earlier post, I am running in memory and honor of my loved ones who have fought cancer. But I also want to make this about YOU and your loved ones who have fought as well. If you feel comfortable sending me the name (& a photo if you'd like) of someone (or many someones) in your life who I can run in memory or honor of, please send those to me via email (kerith.stanton@gmail.com). If you'd like, tell me about them...who they are & what they mean to you - that stuff is so important and if you'd like to share that with me I'd be truly honored.

The more names the better! In addition to praying for your loved ones and thinking of them during my training (trust me...four hours of running - I'll have PLENTY of time to think of them!) I'd like to be able to include the names in a future blog post and also would like to post them on a board to take with me to fundraising events. I think it's so important to have those specific names so that people are aware that this disease affects us ALL.

I'm so excited to be part of something that is "bigger than me"...thank you for your support in doing this.

-Kerith

Welcome!

Hello!!!

Thank you so much for checking out my blog. I intend to use this blog for the next four months as I train to run the 2011 Austin Marathon for Team LIVESTRONG in order to assist their efforts in raising funds and awareness as they "fight to improve the lives of people affected by cancer". I am so grateful for this opportunity as my life (& yours too, I'm sure) has been affected by this disease. In 1989, I lost my Grandpa Al to liver cancer and in 2007, I lost my Grandma N to breast cancer. I am training and running in their memory & pray they are watching over me and are proud of what I am doing. I am also running in honor of Matt, who is my cousin Christina's boyfriend. Matt has been a part of Christina's life and a part of our family for ten years now and we love and support him dearly. In 2009, Matt fought lymphoma and he kicked it's BUTT! We are so grateful for his strong fight and healthy recovery.

So, that's why I'm doing this...for Grandpa Al, for Grandma N, for Matt and for YOU and your loved ones who have fought or are currently fighting cancer.

I plan to post my training updates, motivational pictures and information, fundraising opportunities....anything and everything I can find that's related to raising awareness (& funds) for the LIVESTRONG foundation & the fight against cancer.

Don't get me wrong, I know my efforts will be minimal compared to the likes of large companies and Lance Armstrong, but I DO know that this is a cause that is near and dear to my heart and I am humbled and honored to do what I can to help.

Please follow my blog, I am thankful for any kind of support you can give...prayers, good karma, financial donations, advice, encouragement...it's all very much needed and very much appreciated.

My fundraising webpage can be found here: http://runaustin.livestrong.org/marathon2011/kerithstanton . A printable donation form is also available on the page if you prefer not to donate online. Please put my participant ID (262106240) in the memo if you do decide to send a check to the foundation. Donations are due February 11, 2011.

With a hopeful heart,
Kerith