Double Trouble! Tyson Twins are Racing for a Cure!

* I know this post is long, but PLEASE read! *

It wasn't too long ago (ha ha) that you supported the "Tyson Twin" sisters by buying endless rounds of Girl Scout Cookies and sponsoring us during school jog-a-thons. Now in 2009, times have changed, but we are back to hitting the pavement and raising money for an amazing cause. We are raising funds for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) as participants in their Team In Training endurance program and running the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon—Together!

How did we get here? First, it was Angie’s nephew, Andy, who found out he had leukemia. Then, just as our world stopped spinning with that reality, we found out in 2006 that I had Acute Mylogenous Leukemia as well, after I had already battled cancer once before. I ran my 1st marathon in June 2008 as a celebration of survivorship, and Angie was at the race to cheer me from the sidelines. Last year, you all helped me raise over $11,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society --- and Angie & I are back to do it again --- double-time!!! WONDER TWIN POWERS, ACTIVATE! I found out over the holidays, that my cancer is back and is a difficult reminder that a cure has not yet been found. BUT, I know that 3 times is a charm to kick cancer to the curb!!! We can no longer sit on the sidelines and watch the destruction this terrible disease causes.

I have lost many dear friends to this disease, and their spirits stand as a representation of the more than 1500 Americans that die of cancer every day. More than 7500 people in this country alone - have died of cancer in just the 5 days that have passed since I found out I was running on TeamLIVESTRONG for the Lance Armstrong Foundation at the prestigious Boston Marathon (!!!) --- and more than 250 have already died this morning since I had my 1st cup of coffee. And so, the “Tyson Twins” are joining together this year to raise more funds to—once and for all—kick cancer to the curb!

Your donation will make a difference to some people you know . . . us! The math is easy. If every one of YOU (yes, I'm talking to YOU, my blog followers) donates $52.40 to my fundraising (that's $1 for every mile my twin and I will each run -- total of 26.2 miles per marathon per twin)... WE WILL BE ABLE TO RAISE over $11,000 for the L&L Society in a WEEK!!! Or, consider donating $100 for every hour we'll be out there on the course (~ 5 hours = $500!). If you donate $50 to my fundraising efforts, I will wear a special ribbon in honor or in memory of the name of your friend or loved-one. I'll make sure it's the cancer awareness ribbon color of their type of cancer, too, in order to spread awareness of how far-reaching this disease is in the U.S.

And, if you pass this note on to your friends and re-post it to your profiles to pay-it-forward, just think of the possibilities! (Hit the green "share it" link below.) Trust me...if I'm going to train to run the following marathons between now and June while going through my cancer treatments --- you can handle the pain of skipping your Starbucks for a week and giving to an AMAZING mission that helps save lives like my own.

Julie's Upcoming Races:

• THE Boston Marathon (4.20.2009) ----> as an honored member of TeamLIVESTRONG supporting the Lance Armstrong Foundation


• San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon (5.31.2009) ----> with Team in Training, supporting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society AND my twin sister is running this with me as her 1st marathon!


• Seattle Rock 'n' Roll Marathon (6.27.2009) ----> with Team in Training, supporting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Thank you very much for your support. CURES ROCK!!!

To support us and donate to the LLS, go to: http://pages.teamintraining.org/sd/rnrseatl09/jwestcott OR click on the "cures rock" logo on the right side of this page.

If you'd like to support my fundraising efforts as I run on TeamLIVESTRONG for the Lance Armstrong Foundation at the Boston Marathon, go to: http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2009/juliewboston09

PLEASE PASS THIS NOTE ON TO ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS, TOO! PAY-IT-FORWARD!!!!!