Local Woman is Trying to Outrun Cancer In-Order to Find a Cure

San Francisco’s streets will be filled with 20,000 runners from around the world on Saturday, October 20th for the Nike Women’s Marathon. 49-years old Doreen Cannon of King of Prussia will be one of those runners.

Cannon is taking on this physical challenge in honor of her step-mother Darlene, who passed away from cancer last year. It was a great loss for Cannon’s family, since she was an incredible addition to their family by bringing everyone together and demonstrating great love and acceptance.

“My step-mother fought cancer with amazing strength and spirit for many years,” said Cannon. I have a goal now to find cures and more effective treatments for cancers.”

To accomplish Cannon’s mission, she is participating with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Team In Training® (TNT), the largest endurance sports training program in the world. TNT participants have the choice to train with and benefit from four to five months of personalized training with certified coaches, while enjoying the camaraderie of a supportive team environment. In return, TNT participants raise funds to help make a difference in the lives of cancer patients and their families.

“My family is not alone in the pain that we experienced. Every day, every hour, every minute people are affected by the hurt and destruction caused by cancer,” said Cannon.

            LLS’s Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter has additional eight TNT teammates participating in the Nike Women’s Marathon San Francisco. The Chapter is expecting $30,000 to be raised towards their mission to cure blood cancers and improve the quality of life of their patients and their families.

TNT was founded by Bruce Cleland in 1988 when he created a team to train for a marathon in New York City in-honor of his daughter Georgia, a leukemia survivor. The team raised $322,000 for LLS. Today, TNT has become the most influential endurance sports training program in the charity world, attracting more than 570,000 participants. Funding from LLS programs like TNT has helped LLS invest more than $875 million in research to develop treatments that are saving the lives of blood cancer patients today.

Currently TNT is recruiting participants for the Nike Women’s Marathon Half in Washington D.C. on Sunday, April 27, 2014. Like in San Francisco, the entire weekend will be dedicated to women including an Expo featuring guest speakers and fitness classes. Women can enjoy manicures, pedicures, facials and massages. Fashion demonstrations, sports apparel and pace bracelets are also part of the Expo. Finishers will receive an iconic Tiffany necklace presented by men in tuxedos, and enjoy a celebration with a concert at the finish line.

For more information about Team In Training®, please contact the Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter at (800) 482-2873 or visit their website at www.TeamInTraining.org/epa.