Light the Night Banquet

On August 26th, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society held the Light the Night Kickoff Banquet at Traditions restaurant in Tyler. It was a time for all the people who have signed up for the walk to come together to get ideas for their fundraising. I think our team had the best showing at the banquet. The food was absolutely wonderful and the evening was a lot of fun. Thanks so much to my friends and family who drove in from Shreveport and Dallas. It meant a lot to me that you were there. I was also honored that I was asked to be the guest speaker at the banquet. I just told a very short version of my story and some facts about blood cancer. This walk means so much to me and this society has been a huge help to me and my family during this difficult time. Please help us make this the best walk ever. If you would like to participate or donate, please go to our team's website- The Lymphoblasters.

Here are just a few facts about blood cancer:

Every five minutes, someone in this country is diagnosed with blood cancer.
Every ten minutes, someone loses the fight.
Leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer among children.
Lymphomas are the most common blood cancers.
The myeloma survival rate is only 32 percent.

If you have any questions regarding the society or the walk, please contact us. We would love to give you any information or get you in contact with someone at the society who can send you any information you need.

Me and Rebecca- Rebecca is the first person I talked to at the society on the day I was diagnosed. As a survivor herself, she helped me so much and still does more than she will ever know.

Rob and Me

Me giving my speech

Rebecca, Me and Tara (from the society)- they are both over the East Texas walk with Tara focusing on the Tyler walk

Me and my best friend Beth

Even my nephew came to see me speak

With God, WE WILL BEAT THIS!!!

Blood Drive

On August 23rd, we partnered with the Leukemia Lymphoma Society and Carter Bloodcare and held a blood drive at Walmart. We had some issues as Walmart has changed their policy and will not allow anyone to "sell" anything outside their stores anymore. We were only allowed to ask for donations. That didn't stop us. We set up our booth and had our girls and two of their friends asking people as they came out of Walmart to come give blood and help support the society. The blood center told us that a "good" blood drive usually has around 8 donations in the 4 hours they are set up. We put the challenge to our friends and Sunday School class and we had 23 donations that day. They were not prepared and the line got backed up, but fortunately, all our friends hung around and went through the torture of getting stuck, but now there are 23 people out there who have been helped because of our blood drive. On top of that we got lots of donations and Carter bloodcare will donate $25 for every person that donates blood and signs a form. So, we were able to raise quite a bit of money for the society. It was so much fun and a great success! If you are able, please donate blood and help save someone's life. If you are in the Tyler area, please contact us for the form to sign so we can raise more money for the society. We only have 3 more weeks until the walk. Every little bit helps!

Lexi, Natalie, Emilee and Shelby (our helpers)

Me and Tara from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Rob, Emilee, me, Natalie, Shelby and Lexi standing in our booth

A special thanks to Tara and her fiance Bobby for driving in from Dallas to help out with the blood drive. It was so much fun raising money for a great cause and helping Carter save lives.

With God, WE WILL BEAT THIS!!!