Racing Together for Delly

Steve and Jen

New Yorker Jen Proudman and her husband Steve are a dynamite triathlon team, racing and training together to raise money for Steve’s mom, Delly! She and Steve completed their first triathlon together last October, and they are excited to compete in an Olympic length triathlon right in their hometown. Jen feels blessed to have a mother-in-law whom she loves and admires. “She inspired me before she had multiple myeloma with her everyday grace and dealings with life,” says Jen, “and she inspires me even more now with her unrelenting positive attitude and courage.” Steve’s mom will be rooting for them in the MMRF cheer area in Central Park, because “that’s her style!” Jen and Steve are having fun raising awareness for multiple myeloma and training for the triathlon, and on race day, their spirit of enthusiasm and fun will be evident both on the course and on the sidelines!

For the Best Mom in the World

Steve's Mom, Delly

Steve Schucker feels like the luckiest guy around to have a mom like Delly. She’s the most selfless person he has ever known, and every day he is inspired by her courage and her commitment to move forward and live despite multiple myeloma. Last fall, he and his wife Jen Proudman had just completed their first triathlon together when Delly was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. The diagnosis plunged the whole family into a whirlwind of doctors, chemotherapy and stress, but Delly maintained her positive outlook. When Steve proposed raising money for his mom through the NYC Tri, Jen jumped right on the bandwagon with him! “Jen’s a great woman, just like my mom,” he says. The two are new to triathlons, but working hard is not so bad when you do it for someone you love and with someone you love. 

Alberto Races for His Mom

Alberto Chiesara’s mother was diagnosed with liver cancer only a few years ago, so the MMRF’s cause is one he can relate to. Originally, he did not intend to enter the NYC Triathlon, but when he heard there were spots open through the MMRF he decided to send in an application. Alberto has always been an athlete; he was a competitive swimmer in his home country of Venezuela, and he started racing in triathlons and half marathons about two years ago. He was just getting involved in triathlons when his mother was diagnosed, and he found that the physical activity helped him cope with the shock and the stress following the diagnosis. Training for the NYC Triathlon has certainly been a challenge, as he is often out of the country for work, but the thought of seeing his mother the day after the race keeps him going! She will be visiting from Venezuela, and he hopes to surprise her with the pictures! 

Taking on the Challenge Again

Michael and Chuck

When his brother Michael was diagnosed with multiple myeloma last year, Chuck Rettig entered the 2011 NYC Triathlon –his first triathlon –to raise money for myeloma research. In a true athlete’s spirit he regarded the idea of competing in a triathlon as both “challenging and appealing.” He not only finished strong in the race, but he also raised more than $10,000 for myeloma research! This year, he is doing it again, and after having seen his brother benefit from treatments the MMRF helped develop, he is more motivated than ever. Over the past year, Michael has achieved a full response, thanks to medications like Revlimid and Velcade and a stem cell transplant. The year has not been easy by any measure, but Michael has made great progress! With this second triathlon, Chuck hopes to raise just as much for his brother and the research that is helping to keep him healthy!

Because Life's Not a Dress Rehearsal

When Raymond Moore first met Andre 6 years ago at Raymond James, the two clicked right away. They have been good friends ever since, and even their wives and children have gotten very close over the years. Andre was diagnosed with a particularly aggressive type of multiple myeloma just over a year ago, and it has been a “roller coaster ride” ever since for him and his family. At 39, Andre didn’t fit the typical profile of a myeloma patient, but then again, Andre is anything but ordinary. His zest for life and the way he “exudes positive energy,” as Raymond puts it, mark him as an extraordinary individual. “I can’t tell you how many times he has said to me with a twinkle in his eye, ‘It’s not a dress rehearsal,’” Raymond says. “He has been inspirational throughout the process by staying positive and doing everything in his power.” Though he is not sure he “counts” as an endurance athlete, Raymond is taking on the NYC Triathlon for a man who has touched him and his entire family.

Slow Down Sebastian!

Cheering for Sebastian Lemos to slow down might be a good thing- as an incentive to train harder, he is planning on donating whatever his final time ends up being! The longer it takes him, the more he will give (for example, if it takes him 5 hours and 20 minutes to reach the finish line, he will give $520!) Like millions of others, he has been affected by cancer, and he felt that it was time for him to “do his part in helping a grand cause.”  Sebastian works in the legal department at the MMRF, and so myeloma research is a cause he is familiar with, to say the least. In the NYC Triathlon, he will be working with the MMRF in a whole new way as he raises funds and awareness with the PowerTeam. We will also be encouraging him in a new way, telling him to slow down!

Part of the Team

For Juan Gonzalez, an important part of being an athlete is connecting with others. His lifelong passion for sports began when he started playing soccer at age 5, and growing up in Puebla, Mexico, he and his brother had fun competing with one another (in a healthy way, he assures us!). When a good friend introduced him to triathlons in 2008, Juan readily embraced the new challenge, and he has been unstoppable ever since, competing in at least four triathlons a year! Juan especially enjoys endurance events, because every triathlon brings new challenges and new people to meet. “I have made excellent friends while racing, training and travelling with triathletes” he says. “Most triathletes and runners are active with their community and enjoy giving.” Juan has found that sports bring people together. His greatest source of support is his friends and family, who always cheer him on, and he and his brother still compete with one another, using events to spend time together and catch up after time spent apart. Juan draws motivation from the stories of other athletes who have overcome personal or physical obstacles, and he is always open to sharing his own experiences and his passion with others. Juan is a dedicated member of the athletic community, and within the community of the PowerTeam, he will continue to encourage and inspire. He is especially looking forward to making some new friends in New York this summer! 

Two Races, Two Athletes, One Cause

Keeping 2 sons, 1 husband and 1 mischievous golden retriever in line sounds a bit tricky, but in the 5 years following her diagnosis with multiple myeloma, Donna Kumf has managed her life with courage and grace. To show their support and find a cure for a woman they love, Kathryn Funderburk and her boyfriend Brian Kumf, Donna’s son, are racing with the PowerTeam in two different races! Brian completed the TD Five Borough Bike Tour this past May, and Kathryn is doing her part in the NYC Triathlon! “We were incredibly impressed with the work that the MMRF has done, so we wanted to join the fight with them,” says Kathryn. Well, we couldn’t do it without dedicated and compassionate individuals like Kathryn and Brian. Welcome to the Team!