My Honorees for Nashville

NOTE: I am keeping this post near the top, because these people are one of the big reasons that I do this.

Every time I do a race for Team in Training, I am raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society so that their mission of curing blood cancers can be reached. In addition, I am celebrating my own great fortune for not only surviving cancer but returning to good health, and I am honoring those who have had to battle cancer. For Nashville, I will write these names on my marathon shirt, and will do my best to honor each and every one of them when I race the Country Music Marathon.

First, there are four family members diagnosed with cancer in the last year and a half: Ann Ritter (my sister), Chris Ritter (my brother), Rhoda Ritter (my step-mother), Stuart Silverman (my step-father, deceased September 2008)

Then, there are our Team Patient Honorees, all such inspirations to our entire team: Emma McFeeley, Nicki Patton, Ed Stone, Kristi Garstang, Paul Zamecnic, Eric Lamp, Olin Patel

Finally, there are other honorees who have bravely faced cancer. Some are fortunate like me, and are survivors. Others fought the good fight but did not have a lucky outcome. May they rest in peace.

In Memory of: Dennis Ronan, Leroy Sievers, W. Scott Bivans, Alan Bernstein, Yvette Hamilton, Page Irby, Blake Wayland, Eloise E. Lindsey, Bob Caggiano, Joe Boisvert, Veronica Jameson, Courtney Davis, Ruth Loretta Bush, Randy Brown, Stephanie Dornbrook, Andrew Stevens, Jim Minich, Teresa Burton, Doris Reh Landis, Beatrice Chapman

In Honor of: Christine Grudinskas, Janice Wedwick, Bev Kuhlman, Meighan Daily, Kayla Kuhn, Gabrielle Bergerson, Joan F. Shipley, Barbara Moriarty, Pam Pollard, Wendi Eder, Michael Joseph, Wendy Wright, Bob Kuhlman, Marie Norton, Mary Beth Gibson, David Shoaf, Lillian Kerby, Jim Copland, Rita Conkle, Alicia Rainwater, Laura Hershberger, Laura Rumble Slater, Michael Marmion, Jeanne Fretz May, Bill Scherling, Elayne Minich, Julie Westcott, Kerry Allor, Salwa Miller, Phyllis Page, Mike Newcomb, Cindy Franklin, Austin Jones, Charisse Czaja, Meaghan Edelstein, Sandi Bender