On May 2nd, 2010 I will be running The Broad Street Run in Philadelphia, PA.  I always consider road races a great opportunity to raise money, it helps with motivation during training and makes the race itself more than a personal accomplishment.  This year I am raising money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) as part of my training for The Broad Street Run.

I lost my grandmother and an aunt to breast cancer and have another aunt currently in remission.  Because of its huge presence and impact on my life, I use any opportunity to get involved to raise money and awareness for this disease.

The BCRF is the leading provider of funds for research on genetic prescreening for breast cancer genes.  My family is a part of one of these studies and through this research all the females in my family amongst thousands of other women are able to take a blood test that will tell them whether or not they carry the gene that puts them at the highest risk of developing breast cancer. This type of pre-screening, while daunting, is paving the way for breast cancer prevention.

In addition, the BCRF is one of the highest ranked cancer charities in the US giving over 90% of its donation dollars directly to research and awareness. The American Institute of Philanthropy rates the BCRF at an A+, the highest grade it awards.

So I will be running 10 miles on May 2nd to help battle this disease affecting over 200,000 women in the US each year, the amazing women in my family and ultimately myself and my future family.

Thank you in advance for any contribution you can make to this effort!!!