Running for Miracles

Hi Everyone,

My name is Sarah better known as SarahBeth131 here

I wanted to tell you a little bit about something I am doing and ask for your help.

On December 5, 2009 along with thousands of other people, I will be getting up at the crack of dawn, gulping down some hot coffee and driving in the freezing cold to one of the happiest places on earth: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. And from then on I will run, with these thousands of other people, in memory of and in honor of the kids of St. Jude -- we will be running to fund research into treatments and cures for rare and deadly childhood diseases. Some of us will run 3 miles, some 13.1 and some 26.2 -- the distance does not matter, it is the common cause and sense of purpose that is important.

For those of you who don't know, St. Jude is the patron saint of lost causes. In the Catholic faith, St. Jude is the last place you look -- when ALL hope is lost, you STILL hope St. Jude will pull through for you! That is what this hospital is about! When ALL hope is lost for these kids, St. Jude is where they turn -- for hope that it will pull them through. In addition to being one of the top cancer research hospitals in the world -- no child is ever turned away due to lack of health insurance or lack of funds. Familes are housed at the nearby Memphis Grizzlies House if they come from far away for treatment.

As a Memphian, I hear stories about this wonderful place daily. I always contribute to the radiothons and pledge drives -- but this year I wanted to do more. So I signed up to run in the St. Jude Memphis Marathon weekend. I am so excited to be a part of it! In addition to running, I am also signed up to be a hero and I have committed to raising at least $1,000 for the cause. I am part of a team that has already raised $2500 this year and over $100,000 in the past few years, proving that a small group of individuals with a common purpose can change the world.

So please, visit my page: www.mystjudeheroes.org/sarah131
and consider a donation. No amount is too small. If you are unable to donate, I ask for your encouragement, support and prayers, for me, my team, the child I am running in honor of, and all of the children at St. Jude. For more information visit my ABOUT ME page SarahBeth131

Thank you so very much for your time!

Believe in Miracles,

Sarah

As of right now I have $285 raised! Woo hoo! In a single day! I am so excited! Just thought I would update! I also have prayer commitments and a small group of supporters to wait for me at the finish line!

I'm in Murfreesboro, neighbor.

If it's ok with you I'd like to bring this up to the Parishioners at Mass this Sunday and tell them of your goal and endeavors.

God bless you for this. I'm unable to contribute more than prayers (disability and tight budget anymore) but I'd like to think others at Mass would help in any way they can.

Money funds research, but prayers result in miracles! I would love for you to pass this along to other members of your parish! It would mean so much! I am very blessed and so thankful for your support!

PS DH got his undergraduate degree in Murfreesboro! We both love it there!

Done. I'll call Fr. today. And I so agree on the funds/prayers. So very true. Yet, through prayers, the funds come, too. I'm a firm believer in St. Jude and the power of his prayer/novena.

MTSU? My son was attending before deployment.

I am as well! I am not actually Catholic, but was essentially raised in the Catholic church as I went to Catholic school for 13 years, did Catholic Youth Group and all my best friends are Catholic. Even in college, my roommate was Catholic, and since it was important for her to take communion every week and keep Holy Days, and we wanted to go to church togther, I went to Mass even then! I am (along with my mother who has taught in the Catholic Diocese in Memphis for 21 years and my brother who went to Catholic school for 15 years) playfully referred to as Metholic. Just because of how I was raised I share so many Catholic and Methodist beliefs. My school (and many of the other Diocesan schools) welcomed St. Jude patients and patients families with no tuition!

Thank you so much for passing this on!

DH went to MTSU graduated in 2003 and was in the Air Force ROTC for while.

Where is your son deployed. I will keep him in my prayers as well!

Raised Catholic and still Catholic here.

Thank you so much, SarahBeth. He's deployed to Tal Afar, Iraq right now. Volatile area. I truly appreciate the prayers and I know he does, too.

He was set to graduate this year before being called up. Majoring in Microbiology and languages second.

So, he has a year left to go when he returns home.

Again, thank you so much. It means the world!

What you are doing is truly a selfless, great thing. I had a child in youth group several years ago at my church that had a lot of health problems. She was sent to St. Jude, and was diagnosed with Brain Cancer. I never think of St. Jude without thinking about Christy. Her cancer was too advanced, she had an operation and some chemo, but it really was not helping her. She was 11 or 12, and strong enough to say that she did not want anymore drugs, and she wanted to die as pain free as possible. I have participated in a couple of fund raisers for St. Jude. I wish you great luck.

BTW, I am a former neighbor, KY born and raised here, only moved away a couple of years ago.

I definitely will be saying my prayers for you on this one..you have hit me with one of my favorite hospitals. You are right they do excellent work not only for the patients they serve but the families they need to deal with on a daily basis. They make them all feel as comfortable as possible in the worst of situations. They should be highly commended for all their efforts. Donations are difficult on a normal basis to obtain but in this economy they a nearly impossible. I wish you much luck. I do donate to St. Jude on a regular basis. I only wish I could do more. With one income it's not easy but I still do give.

I am happy to, I also gave this prayer request (under anonymous) to my Mom for her students and the other teachers at her school to pray for!

Thank you so much for sharing your story. There are some phenomenally strong children who grace those halls. They have dignity and courage beyond anything I can imagine. I will keep Christy's family in my prayers.

Thank you so much Glitter! I am so blessed to have so many people praying for me! I know I will feel so lifted up that day! And thank you so much for all of your contributions to St. Jude -- having it in my backyard is one of the greatest comforts in my life and it is only through people who selflessly give that it remains there! Thank you so much, again, for remembering me in your prayers!

Oh, Gosh, Sarah, thank you so much. Ryan and I both truly appreciate the prayers.

If there's any way I can be at the finish line on the 5th I will!

Prayers for your success and successful fund-raising.

I called our Parish yesterday and it'll be in the announcements this Sunday and next. And you know me...I'll keep up the reminders until the date is on us!

That would be so awesome if you were there! And thank you so much for putting this in your bulliten!

I am so glad I have run into you here!!!

Thank you for your prayers and I will keep you and your son in our prayers!!!

I think what your doing is great! Running for Miracles. How true is that. I am passing your page around to different people, I hope this will help in raising money for St. Judes.