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Local Staff Contacts
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Suncoast
3507 East Frontage Road, Suite 300
Tampa, FL 33607
Tampa, FL 33607
Suncoast Honored Teammates
A Team In Training honored teammate is someone who has had to personally deal with the physical and emotional effects of leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphoma or myeloma and who chooses to share those experiences with other people in order to support the work and efforts of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Honored teammates are asked to serve a very important role in the Society's Team In Training, the world's largest endurance sports training program. They are matched with participants, who then train and fundraise in their honor.
Honorees remind participants that Team In Training is so much more than just a physical training program. By getting to know an honored teammate, the participant learns about the impact these diseases have on a patient and his or her family. Participants also discover that the money they raise truly makes a positive difference in someone's life. Winter/Fall 2010 Season - Honored Teammates
Ava Ebling
Ava just started kindergarten at Stewart Elementary. Her mom is Melissa and her dad is Jamie. She has one brother Jaxson who is 16 months old. She also has 4 fish, 2 hermit crabs and a dog named Yaz.
Ava was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia November of last year. She is currently undergoing treatment.
Keri Vizandiou 
"I often hear participants say that what they are doing is nothing compared to what the honored teammates and other cancer patients have gone through or are going through. But, you, the participants are doing this by choice, to make a difference, to help fund research, to hopefully find better treatments and a cure. Your choice, to sacrifice some of your valuable time and energy for a few months out of the year so that you can help countless others, is inspirational to me and my family. All I can say is thank you."
Bob Davis
Favorite Quote: "Do the best you can do."
Bob is currently completing his maintenance treatment: Rituxan.
"If it wasn?t for research I wouldn?t be alive today. Rituxin is one of the big things. Because of trial testing all funded by research grants from LLS. Even though the eight months of chemotherapy were no fun and I lost all of my hair, I am here today. They have come a long way in twenty years."
Cindy Keehn
Favorite Quote: "Life is meant to be lived"
"THANK YOU for all the hours of effort and sweat to help raise the money to fund the cure so ALL people with blood diseases can live full and productive lives. It was people like you who funded the research for Gleevec which has helped me and so many others. I am deeply grateful. God Bless you!"
Janet Sturman
Quotes to live by: When I feel like giving up: "You don?t drown by falling in the water, you drown by staying there." When I need to keep going: "Determination gives you the resolve to keep going in spite of the roadblocks that lay before you."
Janet is currently in Remission. On January 14th 2009, Janet began her two year treatment, Maintenance Rituxan. Her favorite weekend activities include taking her dogs to the dog beach or park. Going to visit or having friends visit. Eating sushi (when not in treatment), reading, writing poetry, re-learning how to play guitar, visiting the elderly or at risk with my therapy dog Einstein, being supportive to my blood cancer group, eating, and doing anything my body still allows.
Jerry Mallams
Quote to Live by: "If you are going to do something, do the best you can." - N. Rodney Mallams (Grandfather)
"Being an Honored Teammate is just that...It is a great honor for me to be associated with an outstanding group of people who dedicate their time, money, and hearts to help others. Your efforts go toward helping so many during the most difficult times in their lives. For me, I have memories of unusual excitement to open information sent to me by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in search of a better understanding of my cancer, in search of new treatments that sounded promising, in search of hope. I was a participant in the Fall of 2008, running the Rock 'n Roll San Antonio Marathon. The most rewarding part of my participation with Team in Training was seeing the conviction of all the people involved. Enjoy your training, fundraising, but most of all cherish the time getting to know all that are involved with Team in Training, they are an exceptional group doing exceptional work for a worthy cause. You will cure blood cancers...I am Truly Honored by your efforts."
Jitendra Khare
"In 2004, I decided to participate in the Lake Tahoe Century ride to commemorate 10 years of my fight with NHL. Due to surgeries, chemo and radiation, I had begun to develop serious side effects, my muscles were in atrophy and I was unable to participate. I was determined to turn my life around and the path that TNT has put me on has transforemed me. Because of TNT, I am addicted to the natural highs that you get while staying fit.
I would like to be your trainin buddy if you need one. I sometimes bike or run weekday mornings."
Jim Marshall
Quote to Live By: "Don't wimp out."
Jim was first diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma (HL) in November 2005. He completed chemotherapy and radiation in August of 2006 and is currently in remission. He is a fan of football and enjoys exercising when not at work. Even before completing his treatment, Jim began training for the Nike San Francisco Women's Marathon in 2006. He felt that the training program became a part of his recovery, due to the support he received. Jim completed the full marathon and his wife (pictured here with Jim) completed the half marathon.
Kay Rose
Favorite Quote: "The grass may look greener on the other side but you still have to mow it!"
"All your hard work is always worth it, personally, I had to take a medicine for 10 days after each chemo which kept my white blood count up and just two years prior to that it was a test medicine and wouldn't have been available to me. Without that medicine I would not have survived so even if you don't see a lot of cures being announced, the research, testing and prescriptions are having a vast impact. Every dollar you raise for LLS is very valued by all of us that it has helped. Keep up the great work!!! We love everyone of you!"
