It's 6am on a cool and cloudy Sunday morning, October 7, 2007 and my friends Rick Randall (36) and Frank Florentin (36), both of Vancouver, WA are lining up for the Portland Marathon. Some of their 9,000 fellow runners are here for the competition, some for money, and some for the ultimate test, but these men are here that Gabriel may live.
Gabriel is nine years old and is currently in treatment for Leukemia. He was diagnosed December 9th, 2005 and is about halfway through the treatment process. Ten years ago Gabriel's chance of survival would have been about 40%, but due in part to the funds raised by Team in Training, his chance of survival now is closer to 80%.
Rick and Frank are joined by 66 team mates from the Portland Chapter and their coaches, as well as 224 racers from other national chapters. During the last five to six months while training for the Portland Marathon the local team raised over $150,000 ($590,000 nationally) for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training® (TNT) formed in 1988 and has become the world's largest endurance sports training program. Whether you run, walk, bike or swim, no matter where you live in the US, TNT has knowledgeable coaching staff to guide you toward your endurance goals. In the process they have raised over $700 million to fund research and pay down the expenses of people who suffer from Leukemia. Locally the society funds cancer research at O.H.S.U. with more than $1.23 million yearly and over $100,000 is given each year directly to families like Gabriel's to help offset their medical expenses.
Both Rick and Frank credit their trainers for giving them the knowledge and support to complete the marathon but they also credit Gabriel for inspiring them to not give up. “What I have to go through for this training can only pale in comparison to the difficulties he faces,” says Randall.
