I've committed myself to running the New York Marathon (26.219 miles) on Nov. 7th 2010 and raising $3,000 USD for Team Malaria No More. I need your spiritual and financial support to help me meet these two goals!

Why - you may ask - am I willingly subjecting myself to such pain and becoming a pain in the ass by bothering you with this message?

Four reasons:

(1) About 1 million people (70% of them children under 5 years of age) die needlessly each year from this preventable and treatable disease - I'd like to - with your support - make a small contribution to help reduce that number.
(2) I live in New York.
(3) I love to run.
(4) I got Malaria while working in Sudan this past summer - I want revenge.

Why should you partner with me?

(1) Malaria no More is a young and energetic organization that is channelling all marathon proceeds to support a really cool and innovative malaria awareness program in Tanzania called Surround Sound (see attached for more details). [Note to the empiricists: I cannot provide any randomized control trials to prove this program's efficacy at the moment - sorry!].
(2) I know you want to ;)
(3) There is power in numbers.
(4) Good Karma.
(5) If you don't, you'll continue to get these annoying emails.

If my appeal somehow charmed your better angels, support me and Team Malaria No More just click on the large orange "DONATE" button and follow the instructions from there. If you prefer to write and send a check, let me know and I'll provide you with the details.

If you are still not convinced, this song may inspire you:

http://www.malarianomore.org/news/features/tanzania_cries_zinduka____wake_up____to_malaria/

If you are still not convinced - you are a cautious skeptic - probably with a PhD ;)

Every dollar is appreciated - and more importantly - every dollar counts.

Feel free to forward this link to anyone else you know might be interested in this cause.Thanks so much for your partnership in support of Tean Malaria No More!

Hugs/ Abrazos,

Paul

PS. Stay tuned as I will be posting updates on my fundraising page!