Getting ready for the May 2nd event, and the visit from Emily Pepper

One of the wonderful benefits of participating in this fundraising drive is reconnecting with so many people. My friend Kristin Bertrand, who has been a great help to me in this campaign, especially in planning the May 2nd event, said that one of the best things about doing something like this was that you got to witness the generosity of your friends and acquaintances. It's truly inspiring to see how many of you are participating in so many different ways in order to help me to raise money for this important cause. The generosity of your kind donations, your words of support, and the donation of your time and talents to help me with the reception and showing on May 2nd continue to inspire and amaze me. 

Keira Schwartz and Damir Emric as well as the four young ladies from the Ballet San Jose School who appear in my piece 54321WPT began rehearsals again last week, and we will run the full piece today during the dancers' lunch break. I am so appreciative to company members Jing Zhang, Mallory Welsh, Lahna Vanderbush, and Emily Bromberg as well as the dancers previously mentioned for donating their artistry to the LLS for the performance on Sunday. I am looking forward to sharing the ballet with everyone, and excited to see my brother, Cliff Rawson, who will be flying in from New York on Friday in order to perform with us on Sunday. 

Also on Friday, Emily Pepper, the LLS Girl of the Year will be touring the Ballet San Jose building, watching a run through of next week's Spring Rep performance, meeting the dancers, and receiving a gift which will include an invitation to participate in an extremely exciting Ballet San Jose experience during next year's Nutcracker! I will post photos and details after this event takes place, as I'm sure it will be a lot of fun. I am really looking forward to introducing Emily to the dancers and everyone at Ballet San Jose.

Emily Pepper and her father at the campaign kickoff.

My good friend Mark Young, who works with Gareth at Nvidia, sent out a letter to his friends from work in support of this campaign. I found his words extremely moving, and would like to share them with you. 

Here is Mark's letter:

"Consider, for a moment, your health.  Consider how good it feels in this moment to be healthy and how relieved you are that you, your family, and your friends are also in good health.    I’m sure we’ve all had the experience in the midst of sickness, where we reflect on how often we take our good health for granted.

Now consider the possibility where you, a family member, or a friend, is diagnosed with cancer.

Over four years ago, in January of 2006, a close friend of mine, Dalia, the wife of our Nvidia colleague Gareth Hughes, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.   I can only imagine how terrified she must have been at the diagnosis.   I was in my own state of shock on hearing the news.   Overcome with a sense of complete helplessness, I did the only thing I could think to do:  be the best friend I could be while I watched her suffer through the treatment.   It was a difficult time for me, bringing back the recollection of other friends I’d known who’d fought the disease and lost.

Dalia continues to get twice annual scans,  now four years on, and I’m delighted to report that they each and every one has been clear.

Dalia was lucky to get the benefit of years of cancer research, providing an experimental treatment that was effective in treating her cancer.   This experimental treatment was aggressive; but because of that treatment, the research that created it, and the money that funded it, I still have a happy healthy friend.

As a survivor, Dalia was selected to participate in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Woman of the Year Fundraising campaign.  The campaign is a ten week contest where participants strive to top the fundraising of other nominees vying for the title of Woman of the Year.   In the end, the goal is raising the funds necessary for research in the fight against blood cancers.

Please join me in supporting this fundraising campaign and the research it facilitates."

With Mark and Gareth 

Thank you Mark, for your help during this campaign and your incredible friendship and support while I was going through treatment and recovery. You were one of the people who always called while I was getting chemo, who visited me at the hospital, and who never let me forget that you were thinking about me and hoping for my quick return to health.