Saturday, December 28, 2013

My European Contingent!

Hoss, originally from Iceland, now in Switzerland, is running with me during the Empire State Building Run Up (#ESBRU).  He doesn't have access to a large building with stairs - but he has something better!  Watch this video as it's truly amazing where he's running.  I am jealous!
http://bit.ly/hossesbru

Unfortunately I can't embed the video as YouTube won't recognize the link and I don't 'own' the video.  Bottom line, Hoss will run a meter up the mountain for every dollar raised!  And he's doing this in the snow!

Go show him your support!

Bill


Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Christmas starts with C(h)R!

As I'm the only one up at this moment I"ll take a few minutes to say thanks.  Last year at this time I was very busy Promoting Global Hair Loss but in the back of my mind the fact that I was a month away from a stem cell transplant was always nagging and scaring me.  Now flash forward a year and I am in a complete remission (CR) and my numbers are normal and I'm not taking any meds* and I'm in better shape than I have been since High School (and I'd almost challenge that!)

For all this I'm thankful.  For my kids, as crazy as they may make me, I'm thankful.  For my wife, who puts up with me and my no-med chemo brain ways, I'm utterly thankful.  For my family, who may be dysfunctional in our own special way, are still fun, I'm thankful.  For my friends and extended family for all they do to help, support and motivate me, I'm thankful.  For my new "social media" friends, fighting this same miserable disease, I'm thankful as you motivate me more than any of you know.

But right now, that pot of coffee that just finished, and the big PILE of presents under the tree - for that I'm thankful!  Bring on Christmas - WTH are the kids???

Merry Christmas everyone!

Bill

@PromotingGHL
#PGHL
http://bit.ly/pghlESBRU

* note - I am taking acyclovir to prevent against shingles as I will be getting a whole new set of inoculations sometime after my one-year anniversary of the sct.  cheers...b

Monday, December 16, 2013

It's A Bit Tougher In Year Two

Last year I was heading for the hospital, for a rather significant procedure and my efforts raising money for The MMRF were rather simple.  I just kept talking about shaving heads and a bunch of people came through for me.  We raised $60,000.00 for The MMRF and I had a stem cell transplant.  I didn't know what to do this year and as I was running, and feeling good, I decided I could do this crazy thing and run up the empire state building.

But the difficult thing here is asking all of you that came through for me last time to come through for me again.  I started to realize this year that there are a whole lot of charities out there asking for donations.  I realized this year that I can only go so far personally, there are charities that I have donated to in the past that I've had to cut back or not donate at all.  And I realize a lot of you face the same challenge.  I am not doubting my commitment to the charity, rather, how I phrase my request to you this time.  It's sort of like being a kid, you don't think about a lot of stuff.  Now I've grown up and I'm realizing the request I'm making of you - financially - is, or potentially could be, taxing on your charitable giving limit.

So my challenge is two-fold.  First, pulling the heart strings, just so, to illicit a response resultant in the opening of your checkbook and a donation to The MMRF.  Second, is to provide enough of a value for your donation so that you deem this to be credible and worthy.  I am breaking this down in a much too black and white manner, and there are too many shades of grey to take this lightly.  Some of you make donations as you're close friends of mine.  Some take a further step and make a significant donation because you can.  Some of you make a donation, similar to what I do for those requests that come throughout the year, that are what you can do and you do it for me but you also realize you have to do it for a few others.  I am thankful, equally, for all of you.  Obviously, where you can make a big donation I am overly grateful and appreciate how much closer that brings me to a cure.  For those that are close friends, you know my feelings.  We've been through a lot, good and bad, and some, worse and bad - but we've been through it.  And I appreciate your support.  For those that include me in the list of charities you support each year I really appreciate that effort.  And I want to find a way to help you realize that appreciation.  I want you to feel like the charitable investment has an association and import that carries meaning with you.

Each of you have a reason for supporting a charity or charities.  I support or have supported our school foundation, the archdiocese of New York, the American Cancer Society, the Dana Farber Institute and, one of my favorites, Make A Wish.  My job is to convince you of the need to support my charity and the benefit that charity brings.  There are a few charities that will actually outline what percentage of your donation makes it to the charity.  What I've found with The MMRF is a group that is thinking well outside of the box when it comes to addressing a disease that is currently considered incurable.  Their concept of no silos, data that is shared by all and results that benefit all that share, it just makes sense.

But past all of this, I have this disease.  I have this disease that is incurable and I have The MMRF that is watching my back.  More importantly, I have you - all of you - watching my back.  I still feel uncomfortable asking you for your support, again, this year.  But i'm going to have to ask for it.  The money we raise will make a difference.  I expect, and predict, that my disease will become "chronic" in my lifetime.

The difference between incurable and chronic is massive - and I apologize but you can't understand what that means till you think about how you talk to your 9 year old about that thing you have.  

For that reason, among many others, I'm going to do my best to actually run up the Empire State Building.  And I'm going to ask you, AGAIN, to donate to my cause.

Thank you in advance, thank you always,

Bill
aka Promoting Global Hair Loss
@PromotingGHL
http://bit.ly/pghlESBRU

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

And so it all begins...again!

Last year at this time I was preparing to head into hospital for my stem cell transplant.  I wasn't worried but it was a big procedure with lots of side issues.  I'm now in a complete remission and aside from this most recent bout with a chest cold, feeling phenomenal.  I am very lucky.  Two friends I know here in the States are back in the saddle again, one back in treatment and another finishing a second stem cell transplant.  I have two friends in the UK, both in treatment, one getting ready for a transplant and a third that is so crazy from chemo he's bungee jumping off bridges in Scotland.  As I come upon my one year anniversary I am thankful for my personal status but also thankful that I can continue what I started last year -

Promoting Global Hair Loss!

Some people may not understand my little inside joke but I lost my hair last February, for the second time.  Rather than being ashamed, I was bald and I was proud!  I wore stupid hats, took lots of pictures, had parties all around the world and shaved 21 heads at my event here in New York City.  More importantly, I raised over $60,000.00 to help fight this miserable disease!  For that I thank all of you that supported and contributed to my effort.  For that, I also apologize as I'm coming back to ask for your help once again!

A few months ago I thought about how good a position I was in and what I was going to do on my one year anniversary.  I already shaved my head and couldn't ask Chris and Craig, Craigles, Harry and all the others around the globe that took down their locks for my cause.   That's when I called The MMRF with another one of my, wait for it, hair-brained (!) schemes: I'll run up the Empire State Building!

Yes, I said, "RUN UP THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING".

Three years ago, when I first heard about this race I said these people are crazy.  I still agree, their crazy - it's just I'm one of them this time.  I'm still Promoting Global Hair Loss with fellow runners representing Europe and Asia:  Hosskuldur (Icelandic, living in Switzerland) and Christian (Aussie, now in the States).  I'll have another post regarding training but you can follow me on my Nike+ app and via twitter and Facebook.  I'll have more later but for now, here are the relevant links.  Also, please read my post just prior to this for a little detail as to why I do this.

What can you do?  DONATE - help me kick this cancer's @ss - for me, and for a number of friends of mine that are going through chemo, transplants or just the day to day mess that is dealing with this disease.  We've made great strides and The MMRF has helped us get there.  I'm going to make big strides up the ESB and I'm going to do it with your help!  Thank you in advance!

Empire State Building Run Up (ESBRU) donation board: http://bit.ly/pghlESBRU
Twitter: @PromotingGHL
Facebook: http://bit.ly/PGHLfbook
my first video: http://bit.ly/ESBRUvid