2005 Marathon For Marsha

Marathon for Marsha
26.2 Miles in the Race for Brain Tumor Research

My Mom, Marsha, never ran a marathon during her life, but her biggest challenge far outweighed the difficulty that 26.2 miles can present. She fought a year-long battle against a brain tumor that claimed her life in August 2000.

My mom’s fight was more difficult than any one of us could have ever imagined, and she faced it with courage and determination despite the outcome. Hopefully, finishing this race can demonstrate that her strength and her spirit are alive and well in those who love her so dearly. She instilled in us that we could always do more than we think ourselves capable, that God never allows us a cross we couldn't bear, and we can achieve whatever we set in our hearts and minds.

In 2003, my brother announced he was going to run the Chicago Marathon to raise money for ABTA. Dubbing the event “Marathon for Marsha”, he recruited three other runners. Last year, my daughter and I ran with a few friends in the second “Marathon for Marsha”. Following on the success of these two years, ABTA has now become an official charity of the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon for 2005. We have 43 runners participating in the growing “Runners Sharing Hope” campaign. This achievement is remarkable and due to everyone who participated in previous years – both as runners and virtual-runners (our supporters) – so THANK YOU for your support!

This year it is even more important for us to continue our efforts. I personally hope that one day “Runners Sharing Hope” will be as big as “Joints-In-Motion” and “Team-In-Training”. We need your help to accomplish this – Marsha’s fight becomes our race... Not our race to the finish line at 26.2 miles. Rather, the fight becomes a race to find more effective treatments for brain tumors... to provide better and more accessible information about living with and fighting them... to help more people who have so much more to achieve in their own lives... to give hope where people desperately need and deserve it.

We'd love the company along the way, but you don't have to wear out your shoes (or your knees!) to show support. Instead, you can be a virtual runner in the ‘Marathon for Marsha’ by sponsoring the miles we run. Contributions will go directly to the ABTA and the continuing sponsorship of www.abta.org in her name.

Any amount will have a direct impact, but thinking in marathon terms, we do have some suggestions...

• Warming up – the first 5 miles - $.50/mile
• Feeling good at the 10 mile marker - $1.00/mile
• Realizing it is a Marathon by mile 15 – $1.50/mile
• Hitting the wall at mile 20 and pushing through it – $2.00/mile
• Crossing the finish line and feeling exuberant (maybe delirious) - $5.00/mile
• Or get us from start to finish with whatever you can

You can make your contribution online by visiting: http://www.active.com/donate/abta/MarathonForMarsha

Or mail a check payable to “ABTA” to:
Kevin Dooley
316 Pioneer Ridge Drive
Wentzville, MO 63385

Be sure to visit www.MarathonForMarsha.org and www.RunnersSharingHope.org for training and race day updates.

The Marathon for Marsha is a race that begins with you and me, but it ends with all of the people whose lives depend on winning it.

Thank you!