My name is Kim Dull, and I am fundraising with Team in Training, this is a cause that reaches deep into my soul and has grabbed hold, now, I am on a mission!! You see, in 2005, I was 25. I was diagnosed with lymphoma, I was in my graduating year of university, and I had to put everything on hold to undergo 4 months of chemo, followed by 17 back-to-back radiation treatments. To put it mildly, it sucked!! Nearly every day was hard, but there was one day that stood out for me. I had gone to the grocery store with my mom, and was unable to make it from the car to the door without needing to sit down. I insisted that my mom go and do her groceries alone; that I would be fine. Truth be told, I just wanted to be alone. A few minutes passed, and I finally had the energy to (almost) crawl to the bathroom. I got in, locked the door, sat on the floor and cried. I was frustrated, mad, sad, scared and full of despair. This was one of many low points during my treatments, but it is one that I used to make a decision that would change my life. 

I got home after that shopping trip, and I did what any 25 year old would do...I turned to the internet. I was searching for something, anything, a beacon of hope that I could use to get me through the next hellish months. Between naps and violent vomiting due to the chemo, I eventually found the Team in Training website; they had just finished their Disney Marathon weekend, so the site was FULL of Disney pictures. Instantly I had a goal!! I informed my parents that night at dinner...I was going to run a full marathon in Disney!! I think they thought I had gone a bit nuts, I don’t blame them really. I was not in the least active, let alone someone to call a runner. 

Now here I am, 7 years after finishing treatments, I am proudly and gratefully CANCER FREE, and looking to make a difference. BECAUSE I CAN!! 

The thing is, even though I had a hard time going through my treatments, I also know I was very very very lucky!! I didn’t have as hard a time as many of the other patients who I saw many times a month, some even daily. I was 85% sure I would live. Others were not so lucky. It is for these people that I am training for not only a full marathon, no that goal seemed too small at some point. If I am running in honor of MY SURVIVAL and others struggles, then 42.2kms seemed small. I have decided to fundraise and train for the Dopey which is 78.3 over 4 days!! Can you imagine!!! 

My fundraising goal, along with my fiancé Dennis Pace who is my partner in life, running and crazy Dopey adventures, is to raise $30 000. 

Anything you can donate will help us move towards our goal!! 

THANK YOU!!!