#TNTBECAUSE - Meet Chris & Cheryl

Here is our fourth in a series of posts leading up to the BMW Dallas Marathon. Today we are interviewing Chris & Cheryl Berg.  The Berg's have been involved with LLS since 2008 when their son was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). Read on to hear why they are doing the Dallas Marathon.

1. What made you decide to run the BMW Dallas Marathon?

North Texas is our home and we enjoy running and training in the fall in order to take part in the BMW Dallas Marathon.  This will be Cheryl's 8th marathon and it will be Chris' 7th with TNT.

2. What does it mean to you that the BMW Dallas Marathon has been named a national event for Team In Training?

We are Texas proud!  There is nothing better to see than the sea of Team In Training participants in purple running in Dallas and hearing "Go Team" echo through the downtown buildings. We look forward to seeing all the TNT participants from across the nation joining together for the same cause.

3. What got you involved with Team In Training?
Our son James was diagnosed with ALL in April of 2008, just prior to his 5th birthday.  After a year of intensive treatment and many hospital stays, his health stabilized.  At that point, we wanted to do more to make sure no child would ever have to go through what James had to endure. This year marks James 5th year from being done with the chemo treatment that lasted 3 1/2 years.  James is our hero and our motivation to come back year after year.

4. Finish this sentence, I do “TNTBecause…”
Because if we don't who will.

5. Tell us about the team you’ve formed to run the relay with.
We have not done the relay but the two of us are a team.  Together we have had sleepless nights worrying about James, stressed about how to make all of the right decisions about his treatment and struggled wondering if there will be another shoe that is waiting to drop with his health.  Together we plow through the 26.2 miles each year hoping and praying the efforts of Team in Training members and great researchers make more discoveries to help the next James Berg.

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Did you know?

• BMW Dallas Marathon is the longest running race in the state of Texas
• More than 40 different bands are on the course for your entertainment
• Stay 2 nights at the TNT hotel and you can skip expo lines and have your packet waiting in your hotel room!
• Earn Awesome Fundraising Incentives

Join the Dallas Marathon TNT Team or join the 5 Person Relay!  150 people have already taken the challenge.  Contact Mariel Bongiovanni for more details. 

www.teamintraining.org/ntx

Mission Committee: Call to Action

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is calling for volunteers to join us as we launch the

Mission Task Force

a collective group of volunteers, who through a series of actions and tasks, will help create awareness and carry out the mission of LLS. 

Come to the first informational meeting to find out more.

Read below for a snapshot of some of the things you can get involved with. 

WHEN:
Tuesday, November 11th

WHERE:
LLS Office
8111 LBJ Fwy., Ste 425 Dallas, TX

TIME:

6:30 p.m.

Light snacks will be served.

RSVP:
 Campbell Weber
 Volunteer Development Associate
 Campbell.Weber@lls.org
(972) 996-5914 
 

Blood Cancer Awareness Month
This committee is responsible for building a number of events around LLS Blood Cancer Awareness Month in September.  The focus is to raise awareness of LLS and its mission through a number of different channels.  Requesting and receiving proclamations from North Texas mayors and city councils is the priority.  The goal is to have an Honored Hero or a volunteer with a mission connection speak at different city council meetings - when receiving the proclamation in person.  Additional activities include, but are not limited to, lining up third party events to benefit LLS, creating partnerships in the community to place LLS materials in stores and restaurants, the sale of paper LLS icons at point of purchase, etc.

Public Outreach
This committee is responsible for brainstorming and implementing opportunities for Public Outreach. This can include expo tables at North Texas health fairs and exhibits and staffing it with volunteers who are comfortable speaking about LLS, and its programs and services in North Texas.  The group should identify ways to create a dynamic display that will catch people’s attention.  In addition, this group should secure honored heroes to speak at the following events: School & Youth assemblies, Light The Night kick-offs and launch parties, third party events, Team In Training kickoffs, inspiration lunches and trainings.  This group would also seek out speaking opportunities to include Rotary Clubs, Chamber events, Business Associations, Community Forums, etc.

LLS Mission Exhibits
This committee is responsible for designing, creating and staffing a dynamic and interactive  exhibit (or booth, depending on event) at every LLS-run event.  Volunteers must be adept at speaking about LLS, what’s happening in North Texas and ways to get involved.  The goal is to create a space that is a destination for the public to find out how they can get more involved with the North Texas Chapter.  There are approximately 16 LLS events a year including but not limited to the Light the Night Walks, Big D Climb, Blood Cancer Conference, St. Valentines Day Luncheon, and TNT Kickoffs, that will need to be staffed.

Lone Star Blood Cancer Conference
This committee is responsible for helping to plan, man and execute the volunteer component of the Lone Star Blood Cancer Conference in late February.  This group works with the North Texas Patient Access Manager to recruit survivors for panel discussions, reach out to the North Texas patient database and encourage them to attend, help promote and assist in the execution on the day of.  This group also helps to promote the event through grassroots marketing efforts, social media, etc.

Patient Outreach
This committee is responsible for reaching out to blood cancer patients who have contacted the North Texas office, in an effort to keep them engaged.  This group will also recruit, train and serve as First Connection volunteers, plan and execute Remembrance Ceremonies at the Light The Night Walks, and steward and cultivate honored heroes before and after their engagement opportunities. 

Donor Spotlight: Community Foundation of Abilene

The North Texas Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) covers more than 119 counties across North Texas.  The LLS staff logs quite a few miles each year traveling to cities that are not near the primary LLS offices in Dallas and Fort Worth.  Why?  Blood cancers are not limited to people living in major metropolitan areas.  We want to do our best to be a resource and support for people in ALL of our 119 counties.

This extensive travel and support for outlying markets is made possible by the generous support of some of North Texas' most prominent foundations.  Today we highlight Community Foundation of Abilene.  LLS just received a $2,650 grant from the Community Foundation of Abilene to further our work and outreach in Abilene and Taylor County.  The gift is to be used to assist children diagnosed with blood cancers and their families.

"We are pleased to support a program in our area that provides patient services to children with cancer," says Katie Alford, President of the Community Foundation of Abilene.  "It's hard to imagine what these families go through.  Having an organization provide support, education and financial assistance is critical for them to make it through such a difficult time.  We're glad that The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is in our area providing this support."

We are thankful for the support the Community Foundation of Abilene is providing LLS and our patients in Taylor County.

To learn more about the service and support options offered by LLS, please visit our website.  Interested in learning more about the Community Foundation of Abilene?  Click here.

Light The Night Walk: T-Shirt Design Finalist

Hundreds of thousands of people attend the Light The Night Walks in nearly 200 communities across the United States.  While each of the Walk sites are unique in their own special way, some aspects of the campaign are the same from New York to Southern California.  One of those is the t-shirt that is given to all Champions For Cures.

This year The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) challenged its participants and supporters to create a t-shirt for participants at every Light The Night to wear this Fall.  The goal was to create a piece that is a representation of the spirit of Light The Night, the mission of LLS, and the drive to find a cure for blood cancers.

The graphic above was created by Alicia Parham, a tenth grader at Centennial High School in Frisco, TX.  Alicia is one of two finalists, chosen from dozens of entries nationwide.  The selection committee applauds her use of the lantern colors, the motivation of the various Walk participants, and the use of the LLS blood drop.

Alicia is familiar with LLS and the work it does.  Her grandfather was diagnosed with multiple myeloma before he passed away.

Would you like to see Alicia's design on your Light The Night shirt this year?  Then take action and VOTE online now.  Voting closes at 11:59 ET on May 1st so get your vote in now.

SAVE THE DATE:
Fort Worth: Sunday, October 26th at West 7th Development
North Cities: Saturday, November 1st at Simpson Plaza Frisco Square
Dallas: Sunday, November 2nd at Main Street Garden Park
Register today

Mission Monday: January Education Programs

When a patient is diagnosed with a blood cancer their life changes dramatically in an instant.  It is not only their life that changes, but that of their family and friends.  The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) understands and appreciates that a blood cancer patient does not tackle their diagnosis alone.  For that reason, LLS has created a series of different telephone and web education programs for patients and their support group that will help them along the rocky road to remission.

Below are two educational phone and web education programs that are FREE and available to you.  Please take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about ALL and Myeloma.

Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)

Tuesday, January 14, 2014 from 1:00 to 2:30 pm (ET)

Dan Douer, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

www.LLS.org/pastprogram

Myeloma- Update on Research and Treatment

Tuesday, January 21, 2014 from 1:00 to 2:30 pm (ET)

Robert Orlowski, MD, PhD, MD Anderson Cancer Center

www.LLS.org/pastprogram

Freebie Friday: Trunk Show to Benefit the Saint Valentine's Day Luncheon & Fashion Show

SAVE THE DATE:

Proceeds from this trunk show will benefit the 2014 Saint Valentine's Day Luncheon & Fashion Show.  Seat and table sales are now open.  Please join us on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 as we celebrate 30 years of fashion, friends and raising money to find a cure for blood cancers.  More information about the event is available online.