Doing an Ironman is a selfish act.  In our hopes to make this more selfless, we will be using this opportunity to raise awareness and money for a cause that is close to home.  As most of you know, November 2008 was a very tough month for our family.  David's mother was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer.  Instead of hiding and fearing the disease, she showed her true character and stood up to it.  Despite the statistics, giving in was never an option.  After surgery at NYU hospital and a summer filled with chemo and radiation, Estelle showed cancer who was boss.  Here we are a few years later, celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, births of grandchildren, and life, thanks to the hard work and research these dollars allow.  It is because of Estelle's attitude and the many people on the team that helped to defeat her cancer that we get to race in honor of and not in memory of an amazing woman.  Thank you for helping to allow others to see how we feel when a loved one kicks cancer's ass!