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Steve and Robin Henry will be running for the Leukemia Society in December, but need a head start now from local supporters.
The Warsaw couple are determined to run in the society's fund-raising marathon in Honolulu - but to do that they must raise $7,400 by Dec. 1.
Runner's World Magazine will sponsor their trip to Hawaii, Robin said Monday, "so that all the money raised goes directly to the Leukemia Society."
The Henrys are part of the Leukemia Society's "Team In Training" program, which helps train, coach and support runners, walkers and cyclers. The program raised $24 million in 1997 to fund leukemia research, patient services and education, and the goal for 1998 is $33.5 million.
Once athletes join TNT, they're matched with a patient in whose honor they run, walk or cycle. But the Henrys are running in honor of two patients they know well, making the trip a personal mission.
After Steve, who is a pastor at Christ's Covenant Church in Warsaw, and Robin decided to take on the project, they discovered a friend and church member, Leanne Coffman, had been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease.
And Robin volunteers at Kosciusko Community Hospital, where another friend's 1-year-old daughter, Brenna Jeffries, recently had a bone marrow transplant because of her leukemia, which is now in remission.
"We thought this would be a great opportunity for us to help the Leukemia Society" and the society's patient aid program, which helps patients with medication and chemotherapy, Robin said.
The Henrys, who have been running for about two years, have never run a full marathon - 26.2 miles. But they're in a training program where their running distance is gradually increased so they'll be ready by Dec. 12, when they leave for the marathon.
The Leukemia Society event draws about 10,000 athletes from all over the world, and many of those athletes are quite competitive, Robin said. But the Henrys aren't planning on racing, just running.
"We realize we're up against the world's best, so we don't want to win, we just want to finish," Robin said.
Contributions can be donations, corporate sponsorships, pledges of a specific amount per mile run, or whatever form the contributor chooses, Robin said. So far they have raised $3,000, which is not yet half of what they need.
Contributors who send checks should make them payable to the Leukemia Society and send them to the Henrys at 1209 E. Main St., Warsaw.
Anyone with questions can call the Leukemia Society's hotline at 800-482-TEAM.
