As many of you know, last November, we lost our almost 13 month old son Tylor Frank Pupecki suddenly and unexpectedly. Tylor, a happy and apparently healthy, chunky little guy, went to bed as usual, but passed away during his sleep. To this date, there are still questions surrounding his death, and his case has been submitted for review to the SUDC's research study.

Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) is an organization that lends a variety of support to families who have suffered the unexplained death of a child over the age of 12 months, including an ongoing research project to try to find some cause or connection in those children who have died after 1 year of age. Younger unexplained deaths are often referred to as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The SUDC organization is a program of the CJ foundation for SIDS. To learn more about SUDC you can visit www.sudc.org.

We are running the half marathon in Tylor's memory with the goal of raising $10,013 for SUDC (he was almost 13 months, the race is on the 13th, it's 13 miles). Your sponsorship will help our team to reach this goal.

We are supporting this race fundraiser by hosting an all day crop (scrapbooking) at the church on September 15, 2007 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Click here for more information!

We appreciate your taking the time to read about our handsome little man who we miss so dearly every minute of every day. If you are so compelled please give a donation of any size. Every bit will be greatly appreciated. If you would rather not pay online, we can accept checks or money orders made out to:

The CJ foundation for SIDS/SUDC Program and mailed to our home address below.

May God Bless you and keep you healthy!!

With two months still left until the race, and with so much generosity of family and friends, we met our original goal of $5013 and have reset our goal!! Thank you to everyone for your support!!

Jody, Keith, Mackenzie and Angel Tylor Pupecki
17 King Avenue
Leominster, MA 01453

Friends,

It's official.  I completed the 28th Dublin Marathon in 5 hours and 47 minutes, placing 912th among all women and 7457th overall.  As part of Team in Training, I was one of more than 300 runners who raised over $1.5 million to find a cure for leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and other blood-related cancers.  No matter what my body feels like, that feels really good.

It was an awesome race, and an awesome place to run it in.  Our coaches and support staff were amazing, and the signs for TNT all through the course were really inspiring.  It was also a great opportunity to be an ambassador for the program, because 300 purple singlets are pretty noticeable, as were the crowds of supporters.  Lots of people running asked me what was going on, and I was proud to tell them that I was a part of this Team.

Of course, you are, too!  Your donations are part of that $1.5 million that we raised.  You were with me on the course as I told person after person what we had accomplished.  I cannot say thank you enough.

Let me tell you two stories:

One of our teammates from Boston was running his first marathon.  Why?   Because in April, Jeff was diagnosed with a rare form of blood-cancer.  He received good news, though, because the FDA had just recently approved a drug specifically designed to fight his cancer; a drug that was developed largely through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  Once Jeff's cancer was in remission, which happened quickly, he wanted to do something in return.  He ran a marathon because of what Team in Training and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society are able to do.

On the plane back to Boston, I was wearing my finisher's t-shirt.  Two women started talking to me about the race, and the fact that I had run it.  Let's face it, I do not look like your typical marathoner.  I am not as skinny as a rail, and there is definitely meat on my bones.   These women were amazed that a normal person could accomplish so much.   Then one of them said that she lost her dad almost five years ago to leukemia, and maybe she could run a marathon in his memory and honor.  Her partner quickly said she would join her, and when we parted at the airport, they had the information they needed to jon the Team.

Those are just two stories from the hundreds I've heard since joining Team in Training three years ago.  This was my third event with the Team, and it will not be my last.  Are my legs sore?  Sure.  Do my feet hurt like crazy?  You bet.  In preparation for this event, I ran almost 700 miles and I gave countless hours to both training and fundraising.   Was it worth every minute?  Yes, yes, yes.

Thank you for joining me in the race to find a cure.

Cindy