Dear GRS Marathon Team,

My cancer is back and wants to set up shop inside my body and destroy it.  Obviously this WILL NOT happen.  I WILL NOT let cancer win.  Emotionally, I’m just beyond the total shock and disbelief .  The reality of the situation is starting to set in and I have never been so scared in my life, for my life.  I will use every ounce of my mind, body, spirit and supernatural powers to stop this horrible situation.  But in order to do this I have to remain positive and endure a pretty intense path to perfect health.

I will be undergoing a clinical study titled:  Risk-adapted high dose chemoradiotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation for patients with relapsed and primary Hodgkins Lymphoma.

This is basically a triathlon or “marathon” of hardcore super strong treatment. If you could hit the “reset” button on your body, this would be it.  In stage one, I will have two sessions of in-patient chemotherapy.  Starting this week I will be admitted to the hospital for 4 days to get infused with a combination of drugs called ICE.  Three weeks rest, then repeated.  Following ICE, I receive injections that force my body to produce lots of stem cells that will be harvested.  Stem cells mature into the cells your body need to function.  The harvesting process is like giving blood 4 hours a day for 5 days.  My healthy stems cells are frozen and stored for later use.  In stage two, I will get blasted twice a day for 14 days with a high dose of radiation.  In the final and most difficult stage, I will be admitted to the hospital for 30 days (yes a whole f’ing month), to get my final chemotherapy session to start my stem cell transplant.  For all you Seinfeld fans, I’m officially the bubble boy.  My body gets infused with my healthy stem cells, which will travel into my bone marrow to produce cancer free blood cells. Then I’m cured. Easy as 1,2,3…4,5,6,7,8,9…1000…1,000,000.

Once again, I will need to hijack all your thoughts, prayers and well wishes for the next year.  I know you all care about me and that means so much, especially now. I gain strength knowing that we are all fighting this together.  So, please don’t take a day off…unless you are watching soccer or making babies. I listen to every single message, but I’m horrible at calling people back. I’m way better over e-mail and I will do my best to keep you updated via e-mail, facebook and twitter (Can’t believe I just wrote that).

Thanks again for your unflagging support. I love you all and run strong.

Ethan

Dear Ethan and Team,

I am slowly processing all of this and in spite of this news which many would perceive as “bad”, I see two things that rise to the top of the message. And they are your underlying positive spirit and your sense of humor. Both are CRITICAL to anyone’s success no matter who their opponents are. Although I have always considered myself spiritual, it wasn’t until my leukemia diagnosis in 2006 that I really started to understand that people sometimes receive “gifts” like this for a reason.

E, you have already done amazing work with LLS, Livestrong, and other organizations and used your personal diagnosis as a way to raise funds and awareness so that others may benefit.  This battle will be no different and will only aid those efforts. You know how to do this … one treatment, one infusion, one appointment, one day, and one mile at a time…. The same way we all will attack 26.2 miles.

Your support system is vast. Check that, your support system is incomprehensibly immense. Your support system will help you get through this but in reality, YOU are strong enough to not only get through this, but to get through it authoritatively and decisively. You wrote the book on SURVIVORSHIP and everyone you know will continue to support and assist you.

Cancer is generally stupid. In your case, lymphoma just picked the wrong person to start a junk yard scrap with.

We’ve got your back.

Steve

More than 6,000 runners representing more than 75 charities – both record numbers – aim to raise $21 million at the ING New York City Marathon 2009, which would be an all-time high for the race. The 40th running of the race will be on Sunday, November 1.

Last year, $18.9 million was raised for the 41 charities included in the official NYRR-managed charity program, and since the program’s inception in 2006, nearly $50 million has been raised.

“Raising money for charities to make a difference in the lives of so many is important to our organization,” said Mary Wittenberg, president and CEO of New York Road Runners and race director of the ING New York City Marathon. “It is our priority to help charities use the platform of the marathon to raise money at a time when it’s a challenge.”

NYRR also joined the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation – a marathon charity since 2006 – in announcing that Matthew Reeve, son of the late Christopher Reeve, will run the ING New York City Marathon 2009 as a part of Team Reeve to support spinal cord research. Reeve, who will be running in his first marathon, will wear bib #1275 to represent the 1.275 million Americans living with spinal cord injury.

“Matthew’s decision to run in the ING New York City Marathon epitomizes everything this race is all about: the triumph of the human spirit against all odds,” Wittenberg said. “The first Sunday in November is always an uplifting day, and we’re thrilled to join Matthew in celebrating his first marathon in New York.”

New for 2009, NYRR has created the “partner” charity level, a mid-level tier that provides charities with more entries and additional runner amenities, such as a VIP bus to the marathon start and access to the new “charity row” tents at the Fort Wadsworth staging area. Partner-level charities will also receive advertising benefits in New York Runner magazine and additional promotion on ingnycmarathon.org.

“Official” charities still refer to those affiliated with NYRR, including NYRR Foundation’s Team for Kids, NYRR’s Champion’s Circle, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s Fred’s Team. The “participating” charity level is an entry-level tier that provides the basic elements of the program.

New charities support community outreach, health and fitness, and disease prevention initiatives. Some of the top charities added to the 2009 program include Maasai Wilderness Conservation Fund, whose board president is the actor Edward Norton; Grassroots Soccer, co-founded by Survivor winner Ethan Zohn; the Leary Firefighters Association, founded by actor Denis Leary; and Back on My Feet. Notable New York City charities added to the program include Harlem United Community; Doe Fund ? Ready, Willing, and Able; Rotary Club of New York; and Girls on the Run Manhattan.

A list of the current 2009 charity partners is available at www.ingnycmarathon.org/charities_index.htm.

When you run down a road, even one you are quite familiar with, you notice things for the first time; a hidden driveway, a screened in porch, a side street, a dog pen, children playing, a couple on a porch swing…. whatever. You SEE things for the first time because you have slowed down to a pace in which you are actually capable of comprehending and understanding what it is that you are seeing. You miss alot when you fly down a road at 60 MPH.

Well, you miss alot when you live your life at 60 MPH too. Slow down. Enjoy the road. Wave to the couple on the porch. High-five the kids. And pet the dog. It makes the journey that much sweeter.

A sure fire way to get the feel good juice flowing is to get involved. You don’t need to be an Olympian to make a difference in the lives of many people. You don’t need to be an ironman triathlete to help find a cure. And you don’t need to qualify for anything to make a difference in the world. The concept of tying together athletics and charitable causes is not a new one. And the Philadelphia area has a plethora of options for people willing to make the commitment to put one foot in front of the other in the name of saving lives.

I have been involved with these types of charity events for over 20 years, and each one that I do provides me with an incredible sense of achievement knowing that my efforts are playing a key role in the advancement of cures and treatments of any number of health issues. Many folks get involved with these types of events because they are personally suffering from a disease and want to play a more active role in their future. Others get involved because a friend of loved one has been diagnosed. Whatever the reasons are charity events leave you with a true sense of accomplishment.

The MS 150 City to Shore Bike Tour has been one of my personal favorites for many years. I originally got involved 16 years ago because it just looked like a great way to spend the weekend – on the bike. But over the years, I have met some of the most amazing individuals who are wrestling with Multiple Sclerosis and it has added meaning and purpose to my involvement.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s TEAM IN TRAINING, The Susan G. Komen Foundation’s Race for a Cure, The American Cancer Society’s Bik-a-thon, The LIVESTRONG Challenge, these don’t even scratch the surface of the many great events right here in our area that are available to everyone.

Each and every one of us has the power to make a difference. We can walk, run, ride, etc to help find a cure. If we can’t do that, we can come out and volunteer. If that is not an option, we can make a donation. Funds are tight ? Then offer to volunteer by stuffing envelopes or goody bags, or making phone calls on. There is something that we can all do. And trust me, knowing that you are making that kind of a difference in the lives of others will make a huge difference in your own.

I have received so many encouraging emails and messages over the last several weeks and I am thankful to have this platform to engage, share, network, or do whatever I can do for the benefit of all of us. Thanks for everyone’s continued support and I will chat with you on the other side of the marathon.