Monday, August 17, 2015

Perhaps THE REASON I'm Alive Today...

Family and Friends,

Many of you, if not most, know the story.  In July, 2009, while on a training ride, I was hit by a car.  Due to that accident and what I believe to be divine intervention, I was diagnosed with B cell follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma.  19 radiation treatments and 5 and a half years of regular checkups later, I’m still alive and healthy.  Yeah, I still have cancer.  Yes, it's incurable, and pretty much untreatable (right now).  

Because of my diagnosis, I am an avid cancer fundraiser and advocate of research, prevention and education.  Those are the things that Huntsman Cancer Foundation, Institute and Hospital do so well.  And that's why I e-mail you every year and ask you to help me raise funds.

So, let me cut to the chase.  I COULD USE YOUR HELP.  Actually, to be honest, I could use your money.  Or, said another way, I could use your generosity.

In June of this year (for the fourth year in a row) I rode my bike 670 miles from Reno, NV to Salt Lake City, UT with a dozen other cyclist friends of mine.  All in five days' worth of riding.  Then, next month I'll toe the line to race my 11th LOTOJA Classic- 206 miles from Logan, UT to Jackson Hole, WY.  I'll be on the road with over 1,000 racers, but also with 74 other Hometown Heroes who have signed up to raise funds for Huntsman Cancer Foundation.  Last year your generosity allowed me to raise almost $7K.  I’d love to top that this year, but my goal is to simply raise $5K.

So, that’s 900 miles on a bike, pedaling, doing what I love.  As always, I'll do the "hard work”.  I’m only wondering if you’ll do the rest?  Will you help me and consider donating whatever you can to Huntsman Hometown Heroes and the Huntsman Cancer Foundation?  The donation may be tax deductible (talk to a tax expert), but I know that’s not what matters most.

If you feel you can donate (any amount, that's up to you), you can click the link below and go directly to my LOTOJA Hometown Heroes donation page. I choose to roll my Huntsman 140 fundraising into my LOTOJA fundraising so I only have to ask friends and family once, and not pester them over and over (too much).  You can donate via credit card right on the page.  Or, if you'd like to donate via check or cash, you can send them to me and I'll get them to Huntsman.  My home address is:

1597 E. Ridge Rd.
Layton, UT 84040

Please click here if you'd like to donate: 
http://lotoja.kintera.org/toddjhandy

A HUGE THANK YOU to those of you who’ve already been able to donate!  I’m grateful beyond measure.

In closing, let me thank you for reading to this point.  Even if you choose not to donate, or can't at this time, know how much I appreciate your love, support and interest.

I thank you all in advance for anything you feel you can do. I’ll continue to post updates of fundraising progress on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/toddjhandy), my blog (http://www.toddhandy.blogspot.com/), and via Twitter (http://twitter.com/toddhandy). 

Thank you for your relationship with me, and for your love and support! 
Much love,

Todd

Oh, and BTW...

The estimated number of Americans living with cancer in 2011 was 13.4 MILLION! [Source: SEER]!  

Estimated new cases of cancer were diagnosed in 2014- 1,665,540.  Estimated deaths from cancer in 2014- 585,720.  Do the math with me.  3X the number of people who died last year from cancer were diagnosed last year with cancer.  And the odds of being diagnosed with cancer in one’s lifetime?  1 in 2 for men, 1 in 3 for women.

“So, what are you getting at, Todd?”  I’m getting at this- more and more people are being diagnosed with cancer.  More than are dying. That means the number of people living with cancer is increasing.  Two more stats:

• The majority of cancer survivors (64%) were diagnosed 5 or more years ago.
• 15% of cancer survivors diagnosed 20 or more years ago.

Take a look at the first bullet point.  That’s me! I was diagnosed in 2009.  I plan to be part of that second bullet point- 15 years to go!

You wanna know why I’m past the five year mark?  I 100% believe it’s because of Dr. Martha Glenn, Dr. Lynn Million, Dr. David Gaffney and the whole team at Huntsman Cancer Hospital.  That, my incredible

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