Ordinary people doing extraordinary things

I am extremely touched and humbled today.

Last night, after wrapping up another long training weekend, legs fatigued and reclined on the sofa, I turned on an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, which I had planned to record a few weeks back. I don't regularly watch this program, but I recall seeing a preview of this particular episode, and saw that it had something to do with a young girl suffering with a blood disorder. So I tuned in to see what it was all about.

12-year old Kori Brown was diagnosed with primary immune deficiency disease at the age of 6. While receiving treatments at a local pediatric oncology / hematology clinic, Kori met a girl named Alyssa Lewandowski, who herself was battling leukemia.

Determined to help her fight the disease, Kori began fundraising for cancer research on Alyssa's behalf -- all While fighting her own incurable illness, and raised over $35,000 for the American Cancer Society. Can you believe it? Alyssa is four years cancer-free today.

Kori and her family have since been given the funds and support to launch iroK Foundation, helping to provide financial support and assistance to families burdened by medical expenses.

It was remarkable to hear a story about such a vibrant, ambitious and selfless young person who saw no limits in how much she could help others -- and no limit to how much she could raise for the cause. A cause that meant so much to her, when she herself didn't even have cancer.

It astounds me to know there are such inspiring and influential people in this world, even in the form children so young, like Kori.

***

My second news of the day is that I just received a lumpsome of cash, donated by one of my colleagues at work. See, I have been looking to match a specific amount of money, by way of a corporate gift matching program, and was a few hundred dollars away from my projected goal. I had asked my colleague to help me put the word out and see what he could do to collect any extra "spare cash" to help me get to my next goal. And without any hesitation, he handed me an envelope this afternoon, containing an amount that exceeded what I was looking to collect for the match. You'll see a jump in my fundraising total in the next six weeks or so (and I'll wait to announce it then), but the mere gesture and act of generosity by one person is enough to warm my heart today. It was like nothing, he was happy to give, and didn't need any acknowledgment or praise for it.

As I've said before, these dollars go to individuals who need it far more than me, and it's one of the most wonderful feelings to be a part of something -- the middle man -- in helping accelerate the process to find a cure to a disease which affects so many of us and our loved ones, both directly and indirectly.

It's been eye-opening and heartwarming to be reminded again of how important it is to fundraise, fundraise, fundraise. And to keep fighting for those who can't.

I'm continually touched by the generosity in this world and feel privileged to be a part of something so big.