Dear Friends and Family,

Saturday, January 18, 2003 -- My sister Laura and I embark on a strange and remarkable journey. We sign up to train for a marathon. 26.2 miles. My first impulse is to run screaming from the room. But no--something keeps me there. Something makes me say YES to getting up on Saturday mornings at 6:00 am, YES to raising almost $5,000.00, YES to walking downstairs backwards because it's easier, to losing a toenail, to washing my sweatsoaked hair every day. What can that be, you ask? The opportunity to make a difference in the life of someone with cancer.

Our cousin Rink (aka Bill) was our playmate growing up. And let me tell you, we put the PLAY in playmates. Rink was the coolest, neatest, most awesome playmate ever and we had the kind of fun during summers and holidays that you never forget. Well, Rink has Stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer now. It has metastasized to his bones and lymph system. It has spread to his brain. Not a smoker, he was diagnosed at 33, already at Stage IV. His determination to beat the odds, to fight on, makes us want to do more to show our support for his bravery and unflagging hope. It is unimaginably hard to stand by helplessly while someone you love battles this disease. But there is something even worse.

As most of you know, I went to school in Washington, D.C. and became a member of Actor's Repertory Theater. It was there that I met Betsy Friday and got the wonderful opportunity to work with her. When I moved to New York she provided encouragement and used her influence to help me out. I felt that I would always have a friend in her, even if we lost touch--which, unfortunately, we did. I left New York; she became a highly successful Broadway producer. The years went by and attempts to reconnect went without success. Then last summer I received an email. Betsy Friday had died from complications from a bone marrow transplant. She had leukemia. I was devastated. Not only because she was so young (44), but because I never got the chance to see her again or say goodbye. I am filled with profound regret and sorrow that I didn't find out until it was too late.

That is why I said YES to Team-in-Training (TNT), the program sponsored by The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to raise money for cancer research. For the honor of being able to put Betsy Friday's name on my arm band and run in her memory. For Rink. Now I need you to say YES. You don't have to walk downstairs backwards or even wash your hair. All you have to do is give money to help fund cancer research. Please consider donating to this worthy cause. We have enclosed a form with some suggestions for amounts ($1 per mile=$26.20, $2 per mile=$52.40) but you may give as much or as little as your heart moves you. Just remember--a breakthrough for one cancer brings us closer to a breakthrough for all.

For more info on the Society or to huff and puff along with us in spirit, check out Laura's web site (www.geocities.com/llamonica/TNT.html). And thanks so much for your support.

Sincerely,

Robin

"...he must be the stupidest sonofabitch alive. But he sure can run." Bear Bryant, Forrest Gump