Many people have the dream of one day running a marathon. I have never had such a desire -- quite the contrary. I have been happy to wait and cheer on the sidelines up on First Avenue and 105th Street where the Manhattan crowd thins out to cheer on friends and strangers as they hit that point of hoping a stray car might veer off a side road and put them out of their misery. No doubt, I will be that person in November...and probable before I reach Manhattan. But The Bone Marrow Foundation is a special little org that has prompted me to do something that requires time, energy, and more effort than I have put into just about anything in the last few years. It isn't for me -- but for those who need The Bone Marrow Foundation. I am running for the lives of those who need it most and, in the process, will be grateful that I have my health and am able to do it.

The Bone Marrow Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bone marrow, stem cell, and cord blood transplant patients and their families by providing vital financial assistance, educational information, and emotional support programs. Transplants treat over 70 life threatening diseases including cancers and genetic disorders. The Bone Marrow Foundation is the only organization of its kind that does not limit assistance to a specific disease, type of transplant, or age range. 

Patients often lack the financial resources necessary to afford not only life saving treatment, but also the often overlooked living and ancillary expenses that can be considerable financial obstacles. The Bone Marrow Foundation works with doctors, nurse coordinators, social workers, and other medical staff from more than 200 hospitals and transplant centers throughout the country to connect patients and their families with the vital financial, educational, and support resources they need to make effective decisions about treatment and its aftermath.

Please visit The Bone Marrow Foundation's website: www.bonemarrow.org to see what we do and to read about some of the patients who we are trying to help. Thank you.