Eight years ago, Charlie Riesz had just a 50-50 chance of beating the cancer doctors found growing in his chest.
Today, the Ellicott City resident is a regular marathon runner and has roped his family into helping raise money and awareness for lymphoma and other blood cancers.
“It was about doing something to give back to the cause, and it was also a personal statement [for Riesz] that ?I am back,? ” said Penny Thompson, Riesz?s wife.
Through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society?s Team in Training program, Riesz plans to run the Marine Corps Marathon in October.
Thompson and their daughter, Megan Riesz, have signed on for the IronGirl Triathlon in Columbia in August.
Team in Training raises money through endurance events nationwide. This fall, about 375 athletes will participate in seven events in Maryland, said Julie LaFee, campaign coordinator for the program at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
At 39, Riesz was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin?s lymphoma in 1999. He endured about nine months of treatment that left him weak and depressed.
“He was bald; he looked ill,” Thompson said. “It was sort of a constant reminder of what is going on.”
Prompted by a flier he got in the mail soon after successful treatments, Riesz has now run three marathons and a dozen half marathons.
For a few years, Thompson supported her husband from the sideline, she said.
But after meeting other participants and hearing their stories, she decided to join. She participated in the IronGirl last year and was hooked.
“I was able to finally understand what Charlie was talking about, with the satisfaction and camaraderie,” Thompson said.
Megan, 16, has also been training, which she said hasn?t been too tough because she runs track at Wilde Lake High School.
Raising money for treatments and research is just one piece of the reward, said Riesz, who is now healthy.
Equally inspiring is the group of friends and families all running together in their purple jerseys, calling attention to the diseases.
AT A GLANCE
» Lymphoma refers to a group of cancers that usually start in the lymph nodes or lymphatic tissue in organs such as the stomach or intestines.
» About 71,380 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with lymphoma in 2007.
» For more on Charles Riesz and to donate, visit active.com/donate/tntmd/RunRieszRun
Source: The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
