I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma in August of 1990.  2010 marks the 20 year anniversary of my diagnosis.  Since that diagnosis, my life has been blessed beyond all I deserve.  From that struggle I have learned how to live life basking in the glow of the blessing of life.

In 2009 I raced the Revolution 3 Triathlon in June as a fundraiser for the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research.  For 2010, I plan to up the ante!  I will be competing in 3 Half Iron Distance races put on by the Rev3Tri  team. 

In addition to upping the ante on my races, I am upping the ante on my fundraising goals.  Help me celebrate my 20 year anniversary by helping me raise $5,000 for the Jimmy V Foundation this year!

I love triathlons.  I also love basketball.  I have been a Jimmy V fan for as long as I can remember.  Also, did I mention that I'm a cancer survivor?  All those things combined makes racing the Revolution 3 Triathlons in support of the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research a fun and exciting endeavour!

My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has blessed me tremendously.  He saw me through a tough time while I battled cancer as a teenager.  It is hard to figure out why God tests us.  I have learned and believe that He tests us to make us stronger.  I also believe He gives us our experiences as a means of helping others struggling with similar problems.  Using my joy for triathlons as a means to get the message out for this amazing cause is just icing on the cake!

I feel truly blessed in fundraising for one of my favorite Cancer Research organizations called the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research.  Jim Valvano was a coach for the NC State Wolfpack men’s basketball team who won a miraculous NCAA title in 1983.  After his fatal cancer diagnosis, he teamed with ESPN in 1993 to create the Jimmy V foundation.  He passed away 2 months later.

The V Foundation awards 100% of all direct donations and net proceeds of events directly to cancer research and related programs.  Of all charities out there, they are considered in the top 3% when it comes to the quality of the organization and how much of the donations goes to the programs advertised.  This means that your donations are used here better than most charities you can support.  The FirstGiving fundraising site does have a 7.5% overhead for hosting this service on behalf of the V Foundation.  This fee largely goes to cover the costs associated with credit card processing (3-4% in some cases) along with the web-transaction security fees. 

Don't forget to check with your employer and see if they provide matching funds for your charitable contributions.

Many thanks for your support -- and don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate too!

My event schedule in support of the Jimmy V Foundation is as follows:

• 10/25/2009 - Jimmy V Ride for Research Cary, NC (75 Mile Bike Ride)
• 5/9/2010 - Rev 3 Triathlon / Knoxville, TN - Half Iron Tri (70.3 Miles)
• 6/6/2010 - Rev 3 Triathlon / Middlebury, CT - Half Iron Tri (70.3 Miles)
• 9/12/2010 - Rev 3 Triathlon / Cedar Point, OH - Half iron Tri (70.3 Miles)

Thanks!

Dave