Running 21kms is Tough, but Nothing Compared to Aaron's 21 Days!

Today I ran a half marathon which is just over 21 kilometers. I was done in well under 2 hours. In 2010, my friend and co-worker Aaron Offord was diagnosed with Leukemia and spent 21 days enduring induction chemotherapy (blasting cancer out of his body) and receiving a bone marrow transplant. This was the only way he would ever have a future.

In this video you'll get a sense of how tough it is to race 21 km on foot. You can see how I look worse and worse as the race progresses. I could hardly think straight at the finish line! But all of this is nothing compared to the 21 days that Aaron had after his Leukemia diagnosis. And that was just the beginning of his recovery.

My accomplishment today was satisfying, but inconsequential. Aaron's achievement was about saving his life! Please make our efforts worthwhile and make a donation to help find a cure for blood cancer!

You can Click here to MAKE A DONATION and support my journey on the Road to Alaska with Team in Training. Even better, please click here to sign-up and join my team so you can fundraise yourself and then race with me on June 22nd!

My Inspiration for Joining Team in Training

Hi everyone,
I'm really excited about ROAD to ALASKA! First off, I want to tell you about my inspiration to join Team in Training (TNT) and embark on this journey. It is the story of two of my co-workers, Aaron Offord and Darren Bishop. Both were diagnosed with Leukemia in their mid-20s.

Aaron had a successful bone marrow transplant and returned to work in 2012. As Aaron was getting back on his feet, Darren was diagnosed with Leukemia, and actually experienced the initial symptoms while training for the 2012 'Ride to Conquer Cancer'. I'm happy to report that he has just recently received a bone marrow transplant and is now making his own journey along the path to recovery.

Often we hear sad stories about strangers in the news and we don't think twice about flipping the channel to something else. Less often we'll be confronted with grave news about people closer to us - a neighbour, a friend, a family member...or a co-worker. These are events that give us pause and can leave us feeling helpless. That's how I felt when I heard about Aaron, and then Darren.

I did register with 'One Match Stem Cell and Marrow Network', to see if I was a suitable donor, but it didn't really feel like enough. Through TNT and 'ROAD to ALASKA' I am able to do much more. I offer you the same opportunity. Many of you will have, unfortunately, been touched by cancer. Please join me on this journey. My goal is for 10 of you to join CRAIG'S TEAM and register with TNT for the Mayor's Marathon (or half marathon) on June 22, 2013 in Anchorage! We'll train, fundraise, and race together with the rest of TNT! Click here to learn more or SIGN UP!

Where that is not possible, I'd ask you to visit my fundraising page and make a donation - any amount will make a difference! As you consider these options please reflect on these facts:

• Leukemia is the number one disease killer of children
• A blood cancer diagnosis is made in Canada every 33 minutes
• Every 76 minutes someone dies from blood cancer

Your dollars will support research into curing these diseases and support patients and their families who steadfastly march through their daily ordeal of living with cancer.

Look for part two in my video series, 'ROAD to ALASKA' in a week or so! I'll be giving you the scoop on TNT and what you can expect from the experience. You'll be able to find the video in this blog, so be sure to check back!

Thanks for reading and I'd love to hear from you. You can reach me on Twitter @CraigCassar, or leave a comment below!

-Craig