Dear Helen,

It was awesome seeing y’all Super Bowl weekend!  Nothing better than good friends, good food and good fellowship.  Let’s all do it again soon!  Team Helen and the Saints, baby!

Hi, Helen!

So back in September you inspired me to do my first half-marathon, and well, it was on Sunday, January 17. It wasn’t pretty (like, NOT. AT. ALL), but I finished, and what I lacked in finishing time, I would be happy to make up to you with my (in)famous karaoke version of The Rose. Just ask Kim or Denise. Though if you do ask them, I can tell you with near certainty that they’ll tell you to cut your losses and let it be sufficient that I crossed the finish line, even if I did have to walk the majority of the course. Because my voice is nothing like Bette Midler.

Not even with a couple cocktails in me.

Not unless you also have a couple cocktails in you, too.

NEVERTHELESS.

I hear you’re kicking cancer’s backside and that is not at all surprising. I just want you to know that Jen, the kids, and I continue to support Team Helen from down the road in Houston, Texas. We think about you, we pray for you, and you inspired me to continue with my goal of doing a half-marathon when I would have otherwise hung up the running shoes back in, oh, October.

And that’s the main lesson I’ve learned in this journey: that with the support and encouragement of family and friends, we'll most certainly get through whatever Race we are presented with. But the single most important thing in any given challenge is having the courage to show up.

With much love,

Rachel

(Click here for a link to my blog post about the inspiration you unwittingly provided in my half-marathon quest - http://www.motherhoodsquared.com/blog/ )

Happy Thanksgiving Helen…with love from the Reily and Student Centers!

Gina Fortado

Project Assistant, Payroll & Finance

Department of Campus Recreation

Tulane University

New Orleans, LA 70118

Phone: (504) 314-2866

Fax: (504) 862-8074