This is a big week for the War on ALS.
Don’t just just be inspired by Jon Blais (aka: Blazeman). Join us in the war against this terrible disease at the spin-a-thon.
SPIN-A-THON (benefiting MDA ALS Research)
Saturday, Feb 10, 2007
http://home.comcast.net/~banjodoggy/spinforals.html
See you on NBC Saturday!
This is cool and deserves a bump.
needs to stay on page 1
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Thanks for the vote of confidence.
I met Blaze when I volunteered in Kona in 2005. I worked Pre-swim, T1, T2 (first shift) and then some finish line. (I’m the guy who caught Cam Widoff’s bike in the 2005 video.) It all started when I met Bob and Maryann Blais. After Jon finished and the race was over…TV cameras away - just real people…I sat with the three of them and Dr. Bob Laird in the medical tent. I was amazed at what I saw in how John’s body was twitching due to ALS. I marvelled at the spirit and conviction in which Jon and his family spoke to me. I was amazed. If you are diagnosed with ALS, you get the same treatment in 2006 that Lou G. got in 1939. (That really got me mad.) In the 2005 NBC video they show Jon at mile 80 and say he had cramps kicking in…that was mile 15 of the bike. I had arrived at the banyon tree at 3:30 AM and left at 2:10 AM to pack for my 6:50 AM flight to HNL. Despite being very tired, I thought about the race and all the money spent in triathlon. Imagine if we could get just Lava Java money from folks for one week. How long would it take to cure ALS?
Bottom line - my friend John Wolski and I talked during a long, cold training run. “We have to do something to try and make a difference.” After some discussion about local events…we decided on a spin-a-thon. We e-mailed a lot of people with great resources and those without. Some helped and we started to meet some great people all over the world.
So here we are. A year later. People are rolling across finishlines like John in 2005. Awareness is up. The WTC is on board as well as some big names in triathlon. We’ve raised $160,000 for research in about 9 months with no corporate help. Just a bunch of guys with full-time real jobs, families, school with training and racing in common.
We feel we started something great and we have a lot of room for others on “the bus”.
As Jon said in Clearwater, “Look at what we’ve done! We’re just a bunch of hacks! We aren’t Lance Armstrong and Nike.”
One more thing, Blaze knows he has a death sentence. He won’t see us in Kona or Clearwater in 2007 should we qualify…except from a seat at a much higher altitude. **His only goal with all this is to stop ALS from ending lives of other people. He knows he is a deadman. As he said to me, “Everyone has an expiration date. I just happen to know mine and it is sooner than I would like.” Part of his legacy will be as the one guy who stood up and said I will make this disease public and show it needs to be cured. I can’t imagine being in my early 30s and knowing I won’t see 35. It is truly Braveheart (the movie) like.
We hope to hear from you. We hope to ride with you.
Be greatful.
Bob
Team Polar
Team Blazeman
Triathlets who Care
http://alswarriorpoet.com
http://alswarriorpoet.com
http://www.waronals.com
http://home.comcast.net/~banjodoggy/spinforals.html
Bob… what can we do to help/and where can we make our donations. Jon has made this sport better and hopefully his legacy will better the lives of people w/ALS. WE OWE THIS TO HIM!!! dave
Dave - If you are in IL you could join the spin a thon in Palatine. Watch the web site for information on a spin-a-thon in your area if you can participate. We had people organize “spinathons” in their garage with a few friends. We had folks build spins in their local gym. Whatever you think your capacity is…for one day, one hour whatever…we’d love to have you ride with us.
Jon is asking that money be sent to MDA ALS Division http://www.als-mda.org/
…or you can send him a donation and a message direct - Thank you - looking forward to talking with you.
Bob
Donations Can Be Mailed To: Mr. Jonathan S. Blais 172 Marnoch Drive Seekonk, MA 02771 Talk With Blazeman At: 619-516-4779
Bob…I’m not sure if i can join in for the spin, but i’ll definately make a donation. My wife’s uncle was diagnosed with ALS about 3 months ago and we’re dealing with that. Also found out that my daughters college roomate’s father was just diagnosed. It’s frustrating to think about the lack of progress in the last 50 yrs. I’ve been fortunate enough to have completed 4 IM races and am grateful to be able to “swim,bike and run”, something many take for granted. I believe we as athletes should appreciate what we have and make an effort to help others less fortunate. Whether it’s to raise money for a charity or making a donation to support another it’s critical that we don’t oversee this. Thanks, and yes i would love to talk to Jon sometime and Thank him for his crusade. Dave
Not to hijack the thread but ALS took another victim last week:
Our family was good friends with the Heywoods and I earned a lot of spending money while in middle and high school babysitting the three boys (the family lived across the street from the house I grew up in). It’s a remarkable story how the entire family rallied around Stephen during his illness.
Anything anyone can do to help cure this disease would be appreciated by all those who suffer or have suffered.
Martin
Not to hijack the thread but ALS took another victim last week:
Our family was good friends with the Heywoods and I earned a lot of spending money while in middle and high school babysitting the three boys (the family lived across the street from the house I grew up in). It’s a remarkable story how the entire family rallied around Stephen during his illness.
Anything anyone can do to help cure this disease would be appreciated by all those who suffer or have suffered.
Martin
Once we have the Blazeman Foundation in place, a portion of the money will go to the ALS-TDF foundation that James Heywood founded after Stephen was diagnosed, so your thread isn’t a hijack at all. Once we have the www.WaronALS.com website done, we’ll send out a press release. You can still purchase Team Blazeman gear from the site (through Tri Sports.com) and help raise awareness for ALS.
The Heywood family e-mailed all of us because we have been working with them too. First class people all the way. If you get a chance see the film So Much So Fast.
**
http://www.als.net/articles/articleDetail.asp?articleID=5001
Since 1869… ALS “ORPHAN” DISEASE DEATH TOLL… **** 20,549,596 FALLEN… **** 411 People Per Day… **** 17 People Per Hour… It stopped my complaining about “slow” times and focused me on what I can do.
bump
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