Hello neighbors, my name is Charlene Lee and I am a 30+ year resident of the Hill Section. In honor of my mother, Carol Brown, who passed away 20 years ago after an arduous battle with Leukemia, I am committed to raising funds to battle Leukemia and Lymphoma by running a marathon each year. As I’m sure you probably know, it is extremely difficult to run a marathon. Yet, I am motivated to try, in my own way, to help solve this horrific disease.  

 

I have never been a runner. Yet, I felt it was a way to honor my mom and to cope with the grief after losing her. I could also really make a difference in people’s lives. When I started running, I had to overcome plantar fascitis and many other aches and pains, yet it paled in comparison to what these dear people who are suffering from cancer go through. When I doubted whether or not I could do it, I always heard my mom’s voice saying, “Oh, yes you can!”  So, I did.

 

The Leukemia & Lymphona Society (LLS) is at the forefront of the fight to cure blood cancer. Their mission is simple - to help blood cancer patients survive and look forward to thousands of tomorrows. In the past five years, 75% of the treatments for blood cancer approved by the FDA were funded by LLS. We provide financial support through co-pay and travel assistance, while also providing emotional support with support groups for everyone involved. We also lobby and advocate for those impacted by cancer to make sure that every person has access to affordable care for their cancer treatment.

LLS is the largest nonprofit dedicated to creating a world without blood cancers. Since 1949, we've invested more than $1.6 billion in groundbreaking research, pioneering many of today's most innovative approaches. The mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

With our nationwide grassroots network of more than 50,000 active online volunteers, LLS drives policy changes that accelerate the development of new cancer treatments and break down barriers to care. New therapies are at last coming available, like immunotherapies that use a patient’s own immune system to kill the cancer.

I have run and fundraised for 19 marathons with Team in Training in memory of my Mom, and to help all people who are battling blood cancers.  Over the past 19 years, I have run marathons in various cities across the nation, from San Diego to Anchorage to New York! My 20th and final marathon will be this December in Honolulu.