More inspiration: Anjali Chadha

I wrote a few weeks ago about how, on race day, I plan to wear an "inspiration band" containing the names of 26 people I want to think about during each mile of the race.

One of those people is my colleague, Anjali Chadha.


Anjali was diagnosed with leukemia when she just 4 years old and underwent radiation and chemotherapy treatments for a period of about 18 months. She still remembers how much she hated all the needles, and that it was several years before she understood why she’d spent so much time in hospital and what it meant to be a cancer survivor.

Two decades later, Anjali remains healthy and strong, and is all about living life to the full. Recently graduated from university, she’s settling into her first grown-up job, and pursuing her goal of becoming a CMA.

In her spare time, she volunteers with Students Aiding Village Empowerment, an organization that raises funds for the development of an Indian village located near Jaipur, where her dad grew up. She also works out regularly, plays recreational soccer on weekends and performs traditional Indian dances at community functions.

Anjali's bubbly, warm personality and positive attitude make her a joy to know and work with. It will be an honour and pleasure to celebrate her and her recovery from leukemia on race day.

Here's a partial list of the other people I'll be thinking about on October 11th: My TNT colleague, Gillian Grant; Michael (the nephew of dear friends); Dawn Collins (an old family friend, who passed away last year); Maeve (the adored daughter of a law school classmate who passed away at the age of 5), Leah's granddad, Jack Fargey (the father of another colleague), Yvan LeClerc (a close friend of old dear friends of mine), David Williams (the father-in-law of a friend and former colleague); and Diana's friend and colleague, Ted Scanlon.

Please let me know if there are other names you would like to add to my inspiration band. It would be a privilege for me to honour your loved ones in this way.

Good wishes from Finland

I'm too tired and incoherent to compose a thoughtful post tonight, but I wanted to share this wonderful postcard that arrived from Finland on Thursday. It's from Kirsi and some of her friends. I loved receiving their messages of encouragement. Check out the hand drawn runner (with water bottle) they added to the image on the card!

Needless to say, the card made me smile. I will keep it close and look at it often in the coming weeks. It means a lot that people so far away are wishing me well in my training. Thanks, everyone!!

The fight against cancer is international

This week Kirsi sent me this photo of herself displaying a beautiful painting she made while attending a yoga course a few weeks ago. It's wonderful to see her looking so happy and relaxed after the very tough year she's had. What an inspiration!

In the email that accompanied the photo, Kirsi observed that the fight against cancer is truly international. For example, even though she lives in Finland, the drug cocktail Kirsi's doctors used to fight her cancer was developed in Italy.

It's good to be reminded that the funds my sponsors contribute to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada (almost $5,000 so far) will support medical research that may end up benefitting people not just in Canada but around the world.

The journey so far

Training
My husband took this photo as I headed out the door for my run this morning. It's nice to have some visual evidence that the training is beginning to pay off. I'm definitely in better shape than I've been for a year or two. The trick over the remaining weeks will be to train hard enough to continue improving my strength, speed and endurance, without pushing so hard that I injure myself. I wish the line between the two were a bit clearer sometimes.

Mostly, I'm feeling quite good -- energised and excited about the training ahead. However, my right leg and hip have been acting up a bit so it may be time to seek some expert advice. I suspect the discomfort I've been having is the result of a combination of things: a torn right calf muscle (from a childhood accident), worn shoes that need replacing, relatively high mileage, and weak muscles in my hips. Hopefully, with some focussed treatment, exercises and new shoes that offer more support, the hip and leg will begin to feel better soon.

Fundraising

Fundraising is going better than I dared hope when I took this on. With 10 weeks still to go until race day, I am only $1,300 short of reaching my goal of $6,000. The generosity my family, friends and colleagues have shown has been truly wonderful. It's also been wonderful to be sponsored by a number of people who don't know me at all -- but who want to support what I'm doing because they cared about Jon or simply want to contribute to finding a cure for blood cancers. I can't begin to express how moving and motivating it is to know that so many are behind me as I head into the toughest weeks of training.

Of course, I won't stop fundraising until race day -- even if I hit the $6,000 mark before then. I still have a number of friends and colleagues I want to contact in the coming weeks, and I plan to canvas my neighbours, and host a fundraising event in early October just before I head for Chicago. Who knows -- maybe $8,000 or even $10,000 isn't beyond the realm of possibility if things continue to go as well as they have been. Only time will tell.