Jan Zari, the LA Marathon and the City of Hope

"Because sometimes it's nice to do things for other people." wrote Jan when he announced that he would be participating in the 2015 Los Angeles Marathon, as a relay runner and raising money for the City of Hope.

Disclosure: I know Jan personally, for we had worked together for a few years (I have since exited the workforce), and maintain contact through social media platforms.  I didn't tell Jan of this blogpost beforehand, so, "surprise." Hope you like the write-up, and if you don't, too bad.  I found your story to be inspirational and worth sharing.

On Jan's fundraising page, he tells his story of how much he detested running while in junior high school and high school, and what triggered his decision to take up running. Hint: it was health concerns.

Inspirational point #1.  He made a change to his life.  Changes are really difficult to do.  Many people want to change, say they will change, but never get around to making those changes.  Jan has made those changes and with gusto.  Since taking up running, he wrote that he has lost over 50 pounds and his health has improved dramatically.

Inspirational point #2.  Building on the changes with gusto theme, in the two short years he has been entering races formally he has entered 34 races, distances ranging from 5K to 26.2 miles (a full marathon).  All the more impressive because of how much he hated running as a kid.

Inspirational point #3.  Because it's nice to do things for other people.  Jan wrote that he feels that running has given him a second chance at life.  The City of Hope, he writes, through their research and treatment, provides a second chance for many people with serious and life-threatening diseases.  I know people who have had relatives treated at the City of Hope and know it to be a wonderful organization. This is a very good example of helping others by helping oneself.

Even if Jan wasn't raising money for the City of Hope while participating in this year's Los Angeles Marathon, his story is still worth sharing.  I've written this before and will many times in the future, sharing success stories has a positive impact because it serves as inspiration and motivation for people who want to make a change in his/her life.

So, in summary, Jan Zari: a good guy with a good heart (literally and figuratively) running for a good cause.

Visit Jan's fundraising page .

My name is pronounced close enough

Here is a video of Toe Up to 10 announcing it as a nominee for a Global Ebook award.

The second syllable in my last name is pronounced the same as the "jii" in Mount Fujii. However, this is the way most people tend to pronounce my last name.  I used to correct people all the time, but over the last ten years or so, sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.

But it's still a good video.

The Cancer Olympics or A Patient's Best Advocate

The first book I read this year (which was the last book I was reading at the end of last year), was titled The Cancer Olympics, by Robin McGee.  The author had cancer, but because of inadequate medical care, she was not diagnosed until it reached the late stages.  To add "insult to injury," her home province of Nova Scotia did not offer the best care chemotherapy for the type of cancer she had.  In the book, McGee chronicles her battles not only with her illness, but her early medical providers, and her provincial government.  How did it turn out?  Well, it is someone writing a memoir, so you can guess how it turned out - though not in the way you will think when you start the book.  I'll just say she gets three gold medals, but you'll have to read the book to find out how.

I mention McGee and her book not because it is uplifting and inspirational, which it is, but because of one of the themes of her book. That is: A patient must be his/her best advocate because - to be a little snarky - for some people in healthcare, it is just a job.  To a patient, it is his/her life, and ultimately, it is up to the patient to ensure that he/she is getting the best care possible.

It is shameful to hear when patients don't get proper medical care.  I was very lucky in his case.  Of course, I had some issues, but whoever I went to for help, whether it was a hospital staff member, or even my insurance company, I was met with co-operation and a true willingness to work with me to solve the issue.

Now, after almost three years of participating in online forums, talking to strangers on the street, etc, I've come to realize that, to put it nicely, many times, proper medical care slips through the crack.

A way to see things is like a project. The project is your health. Doctors, technicians, insurers (whether private or govt) are part of your team.  And you are the project leader.

Toe Up to 10K - A Global ebook nominee

Also available in a physical format. Toe Up to 10K on Amazon