Honored Hero Run Logo Design Winner

Blood cancer has touched the lives of everyone involved in the Honored Hero Run.  The race, which was created by a group of Team In Training alumni, is held every October and benefits The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).  Race organizers have incorporated a number of elements into the race which focus on the LLS mission and local patients and survivors. One of the most visible ways they include local blood cancer patients is through the annual logo design competition.  

Each year the Honored Hero Run Board of Directors visits local hospitals (Cook Children’s and Medical City Dallas) to offer the opportunity for young cancer patients to enter a logo contest for the event. These young artists serve as the face of more than 327,000 people in the U.S. who suffer from blood cancer every day. Their artwork shines a bright light for all the heroes honored at the race.

Logo winners are awarded a certificate and are invited to attend the race as VIPs. Their logo is proudly displayed to represent the event and help spread the word throughout the community about the mission of the Honored Hero Run.

We are excited to announce the winner of the logo contest is six-year-old Jaden. 

Jaden, is a courageous six-year-old that fought CANCER like a warrior! Jaden was five weeks into his first grade year at a new school, when he was diagnosed with B Cell Lymphoma. His entire family was in total shock when they heard the news. This was a child that had never been sick or complained about anything bothering him. Before him there was no else in their immediate family that had cancer.

Jaden received five rounds of intense chemotherapy at Cooks Children in Fort Worth and each round required a 5-6 day stay in the hospital and included chemotherapy and spinal taps. He would be discharged home for about 2 ½ weeks and then return for the next round. During his hospital stay, he never once complained about receiving treatment. His words were, “just go through It!”

Daily, his grandmother stayed with him at home and the hospital, allowing his mom and dad to work and care for his infant baby sister. Jaden’s journey, his strength and faith, has brought us all closer together as a family.

On January 24, 2016 he received his last round of chemotherapy. On February 10, 2016 his PET scan showed that Jaden was cancer free. Now in remission, he is healthy and active in karate, soccer, and ecstatic about returning to school.

Registration is now open for the 2016 Honored Hero Run.  The event has a 5k, 10k, half marathon, 20 mile run and 1k fun run.

Honored Hero Run Logo Submission

2015 Honored Hero Run logo

The Honored Hero Run event organizers, comprised of  several North Texas Team In Training alumni, are looking for the new race logo for the 2016 race series.  Young survivors, children and the siblings of children currently undergoing treatment for a blood cancer are encouraged to enter their drawings.  The picture should be a depiction of what an Honored Hero means to them.  A list of previous logo award winners can be found here.

The winning artwork will be featured on the Honored Hero Run's website, business cards, letterhead, start and finish line banners, race t-shirts, the race sponsor board and race mile markers.  Detailed information about the artwork can be found here and the required art release form can be found here.  All submissions are due by March 31st.

The 2016 Honored Hero Run is scheduled for Sunday, October 16th at the Trinity Park Shelter House in Fort Worth.  It offers a 1k fun run for kids, a 5k, 10k, half marathon and 20 mile distance race.

The Honored Hero Run benefits the North Texas Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  Since the race's inception, it has donated more than $135,000 to LLS and its ongoing vision of creating a world without blood cancers.

Honored Hero Run: A Hero Has a Heart

"A Hero Has a Heart" is the theme of the 2015 Honored Hero Run to benefit the North Texas Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).  The girl behind the theme, 10-year-old Katie Grace, knows firsthand that it takes heart to beat a blood cancer diagnosis.  She was diagnosed with B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) while she was in fifth grade.

After diagnosis Katie's doctors laid out a plan that involved a month of chemotherapy with the goal of getting her into remission after 30 days, to be followed by 2.5 years of maintenance treatments.  When she failed to respond as doctors had anticipated, she was placed in the "very high risk" category.  This classification meant higher doses of chemo, radiation and a bone marrow transplant.  Katie's family was devastated.

One month later the news improved.  After more than a month on this physically and emotionally trying treatment plan, doctors declared Katie was in remission and she could move forward with a bone marrow transplant.  Luckily for her, a donor already on the bone marrow registry was a 100% match and she was able to have her transplant with no delay.  Katie's family is thankful for her health as she continues to grow stronger every day and her body continues to respond favorably to the bone marrow transplant.

When the Honored Hero Run Board of Directors saw her entry for the 2015 t-shirt competition, they knew they had found their winner.  Her creation (shown at the bottom of this post) will be featured on all of the participant and volunteer race shirts as well as on the official Honored Hero Run website.

The Honored Hero Run is only eight days away but there is still time to register.  The money raised from this race will be used to help improve the quality of treatment that young patients, like Katie, receive after a blood cancer diagnosis.

Honored Hero Run: An Introduction

Team Funkytown at the 2014 Honored Hero Run in Fort Worth

Fort Worth's Honored Hero Run is a labor of love by a group of dedicated volunteers, many of which are local Team in Training alumni, dedicated to creating an event to raise money for the North Texas Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and honor local blood cancer patients.  In the last six years, this race has given LLS more than $118,000 with $30,350 donated just last year.

This race stands apart from other multi-race events (it offers a 20 mile run, half marathon, 10k, 5k and award-winning 1k kid's race) because every element of the event comes back to its Honored Heroes. Event organizers describe an Honored Hero is a child or adult who is currently in treatment or a survivor of cancer.  These North Texas Honored Hero play a number of critical roles in the planning and execution of this yearly event.  Honored Heroes design the race logo (it changes each year), creates the finisher medals for all of the races, serve as volunteers along the different courses and speak during the kickoff and award presentation on the race day.

Race Director Don Armstrong, a leukemia survivor, is adamant about highlighting the young Honored Heroes in every element of the event.  "It was our intention to make this event all about the trials and successes of our young Honored Heroes from day one," Armstrong says.  "They are the real reason we (the board of directors) have dedicated our time and energy to creating this race.  Hopefully one days we will have to shut down because there will be cures and cancer will be a thing of the past."

This year's Honored Hero Run is Sunday, October 18th at Trinity Park.  All participants from the 5k up to the 20 mile race will receive an official 2015 Honored Hero Run tech shirt and finisher's medal as part of their entry.  Registration is open now at www.honoredherorun.com.

Nine Years Ago Today...

Don Armstrong, a fixture in the North Texas Chapter, shares a story about why May 12th is and will always be an important day for him.  Read why this blood cancer survivor has not one but two birthdays to celebrate.

"Nine years ago this morning I was blessed with a life giving stem cell transplant. I remember the morning like it was yesterday. It was like many other mornings I had experienced at the infusion center of Baylor's Sammons Cancer Center with a low key and routine feeling. Yet there was something very different about the start of this day. For me the atmosphere was charged with an intensity and anticipation of the minutes ahead. I think I was fairly calm on the outside, but inside my heart was racing. I had waited 8 long months for this day. 

In the week preceding the transplant I endured my 5th round of chemo to prepare my body for new stem cells. This was by far the most demanding chemo I had experienced, so I was glad it was over.
Finally, it was time for the "transplant". One of oncology nurses, who I had gotten to know very well, came into the room with what looked like a bag of oatmeal, hung it on the IV pole next to my chair and attached it to my central line. For the next 45 minutes the stem cells slowly dripped through the IV line into my body. Every now and then a nurse would come in to shake up the bag of stem cells to keep them from clogging the opening in the IV bag. That was pretty crazy. 

When the last stem cell entered my body I had a very surreal feeling. I couldn't put my finger on the feeling, however I knew something was going on in my body. 

When the transplant process was done several nurses came into the room and congratulated me by singing "Happy Birthday". For me, this was a new start at life. This was my new "first birthday." 

I thank God everyday for the gift of a life saving transplant. I am truly blessed! I am so grateful to my donor who gave so selflessly to make a difference in my life. For everyone that I am fortunate to call my friend, thank you for your support and love. This has been an extraordinary, inspiring journey! I look forward to celebrating many birthdays ahead. It turns out I really do like birthdays.
Have a terrific day! I know I will! God Bless!"

Don has wasted no time in giving back since his transplant 9 years ago.  He is a Board of Trustees member for the North Texas Chapter, the co-chair of the Mission Task Force Committee, in several leadership positions through Team In Training and the race director for the Honored Hero Run in Fort Worth that benefits The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Honored Hero Run

The Honored Hero Run is a labor of love of several North Texas Team In Training (TNT) alumni who are working to raise awareness and money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) outside of their individual events.  Since the first race in 2008, the popularity of this Fort Worth multi-distance race has exploded.  So has its contributions to LLS - $88,000!

Don Armstrong, the Honored Hero Race Director, has an incredible connection to LLS.  He is a leukemia survivor, North Texas Board of Trustees member, Team In Training alumni and coach and head of the North Texas Mission Committee.  Below he talks about why his team named their event the Honored Hero Run, how it got its start, and why their medals are so special.

How did the Honored Hero Run get its start?

The Honored Hero Run came together in 2008 as a grassroots efforts by a group of local leaders, TNT alumni and friends who wanted to create an event that would bring to the community together in a collective effort to raise awareness and funds for blood cancer research, while honoring those who have battled or are currently battling blood cancers.

Each year the Honored Hero Run Board of Directors visit local hospitals and offers young cancer patients the opportunity to enter a logo contest.  Three winners are chosen: official logo artist (used for all promotional materials), official t-shirt artist (used for participant and volunteer t-shirts), and official sponsor artist (used for race day sponsor board.)  We include local honored heroes because allows the community to be a part of the event and bring light to the  we honor at the race.

Why did you think it was important to create this race?

Founders and current board members are all alumni of Team In Training.  We were looking for another way to raise money to support the LLS mission.

Tell us about this year's race.

All participants will receive a tech shirt and and a finisher's medal.  We have a terrific finish line area with pancakes, hot dogs and more.  This year the In & Out Burger truck will be there to serve delicious burgers and fries.

How much has the Honored Hero Run given to LLS since its inception?

Proudly $88,000

What do you want people to know about this event?

We are all about the experience of a multiple race event with a tremendous amount of community support.  We have a distance for just about everyone (including a 1k fun run for the kids).  All race courses are flat with the 5k and half marathons course certified.  Great atmosphere before, during and after each event.  And here's the best part - participants had the opportunity to make a difference by helping to raise money to find a cure for blood cancer.  Pure awesomeness!

Want to participate?  Registration is still open.

The Honored Hero Run, its event organizers, participants, event sponsors and volunteers are all making a significant impact in LLS's goal of creating a world without blood cancers.  Thank you.

Road to Kona: Cole's Personal Honored Hero

Every Team In Training (TNT) participant runs in honor of their team Honored Hero.  Cole Bryan, who is representing North Texas at the Kona IRONMAN World Championship, has his own personal Honored Hero.  Read below as he talks about the boy that inspires his every race.

"Austin is a hero. He's my hero. People like him are the reason I do what I do. Austin and I met about 3 years ago through Team in Training. His mom, Kristen, was running a marathon to support LLS. My secret crush (now my wife) was doing the same event.

Austin was on the tail end of a 3 1/2 year battle with leukemia. During that time, he lost his hair multiple times. He was in and out of the hospital. But, no matter how many times he got knocked down, he got back up..... with a smile on his face. That guy is tough. He's 12 years old now and is over 18 months cancer free!

Here is a pic of Austin handing out age group awards at the Honored Hero Run in 2013. When I raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, it's not for a faceless organization in some far away land. It's for real people right here in Texas."

You don't have to compete in an Ironman to make a difference.  Register for Team In Training and race for your own Honored Hero.

Honored Hero Run 2013

Have you heard of the Honored Hero Run yet?  It was created by North Texas Board of Trustees member Don Armstrong and a group of dedicated Team In Training (TNT) alumni interested in doing more for LLS than fundraise and race with TNT.  The event, which started in Fort Worth in 2008, has grown into an incredible community event to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Earlier this year, a couple members of the Honored Hero Run committee presented Board of Trustees Chairman Steve Rigby with a check for $28,000.  To date, the Honored Hero Run has raised more than $60,000 for the North Texas Chapter.

If you would like to participate in this one of a kind event, please mark October 19, 2014 on your calendar.  Need help getting to the finish line?  TNT is sending a team so register today to reserve your spot today!  www.teamintraining.org/ntx

Thank you to the dedicated volunteers who make the Honored Hero Run such a success year after year!

Mission Monday: Celebrating Team In Training's Rich History



Commemorating a 25th anniversary is a timeless tradition.　 And the North Texas Chapter of Team In Training invites you to celebrate this extraordinary milestone at the Team In Training 25th Anniversary Gala on Sunday, June 30, 2013 at the Westin Galleria.

Over the last quarter century Team In Training and its thousands of athletes have raised more than $1.3 billon, funded countless new programs and lifesaving drugs, touched the lives of thousands of families, while creating an organization of lifelong friendships. Now that is something to celebrate!

So leave your workout shoes at home, put on your finest clothes and join us for a beautiful evening that includes a delicious three-course dinner and a silent auction benefiting TNT.

Tickets are $85 per person are available now from your local Team In Training Staff.

Get a group together, buy a table of eight, and make it a memorable evening with teammates.　

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Mission Monday: The $32,000 Gift



Patricia Thomson, Don Armstrong and Emile Blaine

The Annual Honored Hero Run, created by a group of Team in Training (TNT) alumni, celebrated its record-breaking fourth year by making a record-breaking financial gift to the North Texas Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).  Don Armstrong, the race director and LLS board member, presented a $32,000 check to Executive Director Patricia Thomson and Team in Training Director Emile Blaine.

The Honored Hero Run started in 2008 and raised $3,000 for the Team in Training program in its inaugural event.  After the first year neither the run participants or the Board of Directors showed any signs of slowing down.  Nearly 600 runners registered the following year and the run donated $10,000 to LLS in 2009 only to be surpassed the following year with a $15,000 donation.  The $32,000 donation this past week brings the total contribution of the Honored Hero Run to $60,000 over four short years.

Don created the Honored Hero run because he knows first hand what it's like to fight and to beat cancer.  He fought and beat a acute myeloid leukemia (AML) diagnosis and has since dedicated his life to helping raise awareness and money for LLS and its fight to cure blood cancers. 

The Board of Directors for the Honored Hero Run is wasting no time in building upon its 2012 success.  The 2013 run is already in the books.  We hope to see you out there!

Save the Date:

October 20, 2013

Trinity Park

Fort Worth, TX

1K Fun Run

5K

Half Marathon

20 Miler