Dear Friends and Family:

As many of you know, on October 31, 2010 I will participate in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC. I have decided to dedicate this race to my friend, Candice, and to her brave fight against breast cancer.

Earlier this year, at the age of 32, Candice was diagnosed with breast cancer. In the spring she underwent a bilateral mastectomy and she is now undergoing a series of chemotherapy treatments (halfway through!).

Candice’s courage and positive attitude in the face of everything she has had to go through this year is an inspiration to everyone who comes into contact with her. Candice has always been an amazing, compassionate, kind, funny, and strong woman and, as a testament to how wonderful she is, a great number of her friends, family and members of her community have shown their support for her in various ways.

Unfortunately, the financial burden of surgery, chemotherapy, antibiotics, and office visits (in addition to everyday living expenses) is extremely great. So – in an effort to help a little, I have set up a webpage at giveforward.org where you can make a donation to help cover the costs of some of these medical expenses.

My goal is to raise $2500 by marathon day (October 31)!

AND as an added bonus – not only will you be helping out an incredible woman BUT you will also have the opportunity to help me pick out a Halloween costume for the race ☺

Anyone making a donation can post a costume suggestion in the comments box below or send me an email (alisonmf314@hotmail.com). If we meet our goal of $2500 by Oct 24 (one week before the marathon) I’ll pick one of your suggestions and run in that costume for the entire marathon! A few ground rules:

1. costume can’t weigh more than a few pounds and I’m still wearing my running shoes - it IS 26.2 miles, after all.

2. Use good judgment in your suggestions: it’s a family event!

Thanks so much for your support!

one final note: giveforward will only accept credit card donations. If you would like to contribute with a check, please contact me at alisonmf314@hotmail.com and I can provide instructions.  thanks!