A note from a member of our web team:

In August of 2008, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. I had been very ill for a while…I lost roughly 60 pounds, and before I was officially diagnosed, was examined for Hodgkin’s lymphoma and leukemia en route to actually figuring out what was wrong with me. In the middle of all of the tests I was having run, my hematologist flippantly said to me, “Well, you’ll never be able to run a marathon.” Oh, good doctor, you should never issue a challenge to me, ever.

So in April of 2010, I ran a half marathon. It was hands down the toughest thing I’ve ever done. The cards were stacked against me for sure, with joint problems being a side effect of Crohn’s, as well as your body not absorbing nutrients as a healthy person’s would. I managed to get all 13.1 miles done in less than three hours, and knew as soon as I crossed the finish line that I had to do it again.

In April of 2011, I will again be running the Country Music Marathon in Nashville, Tennessee. However, this time it isn’t for me, it’s for the youth. I’ll be running to raise money and awareness for Off The Street Kids, an organization I’m so very proud to have been associated with for close to two years now. The youth of the world should be our number one priority as human beings. Most of us were lucky enough to have had a strong upbringing by not only our parents, but our communities as well. The best thing I can ever imagine is to help a young person out who may not have been as fortunate as I was at that age.

If you’d like to make a contribution to my fundraising efforts, you can do so on my JustGiving page. Any amount, even $1, is beyond appreciated. I also highly encourage the rest of you out there to run or walk and host a fundraiser of your own. Believe me when I say if I can do it, anyone can.

OTSK are taking part in The FSI Christmas Challenge, and we need your help to sell as many wristbands as we can!

Here’s how it works:-

Julie Baron (Tomlin) (UK), Alison Groves (USA) and Sandi Hicks (AUS) are all selling the wristbands on our behalf.  We sell a wristband to you for a minimum donation of £2.50 (equivalent amount in your country). You then write a message of support to one of our Mentee’s or for OTSK in general on the blank side of the wristband and send it back to us. If you would like to keep a wristband to wear then we ask that you please purchase two!

Now comes the fun bit!   We will then return all the wristbands, complete with your messages back to The FSI.  They will create a paper chain by combining all the wristbands from all the small charities taking part in the challenge. The FSI then find a prominent landmark to drape the chain over, helping to promote and give wider exposure to OTSK and small charities everywhere.  The FSI will also keep a record of all the great messages of support, which they will make available to charities, politicians and the public.

If you would like to buy a wristband (or two!), please send your request along with your name and addrress to  wristbands@otsk.org where it will be forwarded to the relevant seller nearest to your region. They will then make contact with you to explain the payment options and the delivery / returns procedure. Once we receive your donation a wristband will be sent to you.  The wristbands need to be back with OTSK / your seller no later than the 17th December, so that we have plenty of time to get the wristbands back to The FSI by their deadline, so please don’t delay and help us with our challenge!

100% of all funds raised from the sales of the wristbands will go directly to benefit OTSK. Many thanks for your support!