SPONSOR ME IN FIGHTING MALARIA! YOUR GIFT WILL BE TRIPLED!
My running "career" started as a high school sophomore in 1993 and ever since each mile has brought me tremendous joy and appreciation for the sport of running.  Over the years I have become incredibly thankful for the good health that gives me the privilege to run races and miles across the United States.  With this in mind I dedicated my last several marathons to raising funds for cancer research.

However, this year I am changing course and raising funds for Malaria No More to fight a disease that is ravaging Africa but is also entirely treatable and preventable.  I am dedicating my 5th marathon, the 2007 Chicago Marathon on October 7, 2007, to raising $4,000 for 400 bed nets to stop the spread of malaria.  I hope you will join me in the 4/For/Four Campaign and support Malaria No More make a real difference in stopping the spread of Malaria in Africa.  A GROUP OF ANONYMOUS DONORS WILL TRIPLE EACH GIFT! Please give generously! All gifts are tax deductible to the full amount allowed by law.  Malaria No More is a registered IRS 501(c)(3) organization.

Malaria infects more than 500 million people a year and kills more than a million— one person dies about every 30 seconds. The disease is caused by the blood parasite Plasmodium, which is transmitted by mosquitoes. Infected humans experience flu-like symptoms that can result in coma and death. The disease is particularly devastating in Africa, where it is a leading killer of children. In addition to the burden on the health system, malaria illness and death cost Africa approximately $12 billion a year in lost productivity. The effects permeate almost every sector. Malaria increases school absenteeism, decreases tourism, inhibits foreign investment, and even affects the type of crops that are grown.

BED NETS ARE THE ANSWER
Despite the magnitude of the problem, there is a simple and cost-effective solution to prevent malaria deaths. For just $10, we can purchase a bed net, deliver it to a family, and explain its use. Bed nets work by creating a protective barrier against mosquitoes at night, when the vast majority of transmissions occur. A family of four can sleep under an insecticide-treated bed net, safe from malaria, for up to four years. The benefits of bed nets extend even further than the family. When enough nets are used, the insecticide used to deter mosquitoes makes entire communities safer—including even those individuals who do not have nets.

Your gift of $10 provides a family a bed net – including the purchase, distribution and education as well as monitoring and evaluation. Bed nets are only one tool in the comprehensive solution to control malaria, and a portion of each $10 gift supports Malaria No More's overall work to control this deadly disease. Although $10 for a bed net may not sound like much, affording it is an impossibility for most people at risk of contracting malaria. That's where Malaria No More comes in.

Please check my blog (www.trisethtri.blogspot.com) regularly for training updates and watch how every mile I run combats malaria! Thank you so much for your support - you are making a difference in the fight against malaria!

If you would like to donate by mail please make your check payable to Malaria No More and email me at seth. rosen at gmail.com for my address and other details!