PMP Marathon Walk -- Team LA's Report

Each number matches the team member.

One of the most positive things that came out of my illness was finding an amazing group of PMP Cancer patients, caregivers and survivors simply called Pmp Cancer Survivors Group. They are and 800 plus strong group that shares stories, gives support and information to patients and their caregivers. Whenever I have an odd symptom, I find someone in the group who has had it and has a solution. Before this group, I would panic over things that were normal for someone who has had my illness and treatment. They also bolster each other mentally and emotionally. It is beyond wonderful to have a group of people to talk to who have walked in my shoes. They are there for Jon as well. If this wasn't enough, the group has members who've started charities to raise awareness or to help fund research or help patients. One such group is Pseudomyxoma Survivor http://www.pseudomyxomasurvivor.co.uk/ . Today, one of our group will run in the London Marathon to help raise money and awareness for the charity. There is so little in the way of aid for this cancer every little bit truly helps. To help support the group, Jon, Ohio buddy Bruce Kline, the infamous Craig and I have been doming our own marathons to raise money. Every week we log those miles. This past Friday, we passed 53 miles or two marathons. We were hoping that in doing this, Julie wouldn't be running alone.
  
See all our photos here:  http://dlwarner.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_21.html

I thought of it as running a marathon on the layaway plan. I do at least 3 miles per errand and at lest 4

errands a week. The miles add up quickly. Jon walks two miles per day as part of his commute to work, and then we do 3 or more on the weekends. We decided to finish our second marathon circuit walking from Marina del Rey to Venice Circle on Venice Beach. It was a 4 mile stretch to cap off a week of walking every day. Though it probably wasn't smart for me to do after a week that included planting a community garden. I really wanted to do as much as the rest of the team did last week.

 Bruce Kline does his walking during disc golf  when not relaying traffic reports for his Columbus radio station. He does 3 to 4 miles each course and typically does a couple courses a week. Bruce and I have been friends since the 1980s when we both worked in Manhattan. He was an aspiring musician and radio DJ. I was trying to peddle my writing. Currently, he is a musician in his home town of Columbus, Ohio where he is an on-air radio personality. He also writes music for some of our film ventures.

And then there's Craig. He runs up mountains for fun. He was the only marathon runner. He did his part in big jags. During the second circuit, he nearly got 'swatted' by an  LAPD SWAT team investigating can urgent call at singer Rhianna's estate. And last week, he ran a half marathon run on behalf of the fallen at the Boston Marathon. I've worked with Craig in our day jobs off and on the entire time we've lived in LA. He is a gifted writer whose life seems to be out of any Coen Brothers movie. He's never been an actor, but he is one of the most entertaining people I know. He also looked after me when I was at my sickest by taking me to and from appointments and making my sides split with laughter. What we did wasn't a lot in the face of the terrible toll this cancer takes, but we had to do something. I'm very proud of the team and the team is proud to be part of this incredible effort.
runner among us.