It all began in 2010 after my friend Cara and I ran the LA Marathon. We had already trained on our own for the 26.2 miles race. I thought, “Why not just keep running?” That’s when I found the nonprofit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and their fundraising program called Team In Training (TNT)! TNT was the only program you could volunteer with to get a secured race entry into the San Francisco Nike Women's Marathon. So, I registered for an informational meeting at the mall near my parents' house, listened to the staff and coaches, as well as a survivor, and I was hooked. The $3,500 fundraising minimum didn't scare me even though I had zero experience fundraising.
After the meeting, I drove over to my parents' house and told them what I just signed up to do. Before then, I did not know that I had a connection to blood cancer; all I knew is that I wanted to make an impact on people and families living with blood cancer. My parents sat and listened to my plan and about TNT, and then they told me about my aunt, Terry Bakker, who had passed away from leukemia before I was born. By joining Team In Training in 2010 as a marathon participant, I found out about my Aunt Terry and chose to run in memory and honor of her.
Little did I know how this program and all the people I trained with as a participant would change my life in the most positive ways! Not only was I mentored by amazing coaches, but I would soon get to inspire people I had the honor to manage throughout the six years as their Campaign Manager as a staff member of TNT! Over the past 11 years, I have participated in and fundraised for 10 events (including the NYC Marathon 2021), managed teams of hundreds of people who were just like me, season after season, and shared their triumphs at over 35 event weekends.
All the hundreds of lives who committed to doing something a little crazy to raise money and awareness for loved ones or complete strangers living with blood cancers, all in the name of doing something bigger than themselves, has been my consistent inspiration and an experience I will be forever grateful to be part of in their stories. I love everyone that I’ve met because of TNT and the amazing adventures and personal growth that continues to transform my life because of this program! Thank you for all the years of support, pushing me to keep moving forward, and helping me look at the bigger picture to be part of the change I want to be in the world.
Meredith
Volunteer
