Right There Beside You

We're always assuring you - our Team Sharsheret athletes - that we're cheering you on to the finish line. This year, our cheers may sound a bit louder. Ellen, Elana and I will share a relay spot, and Rebecca of our staff will compete in the Triathlon this Sunday. Literally and figuratively, we are doing this together - raising awareness about breast cancer in the Jewish community and welcoming hundreds of new friends to the Sharsheret family. We are grateful that you've chosen to be a part of our Team, and even more grateful that you've chosen to be a part of our mission. On Sunday, when you look around and marvel at all that you've accomplished through training, I hope our thanks, and the gratitude of the thousands of women and families we are blessed to serve, gives you that added push to the finish line. We're cheering you on. And we're right there beside you.

With deep thanks,
Rochelle

Take on our 10-day challenge!

Only 10 days until the New York City Triathlon and our staff members Rochelle, Elana, and Ellen are ready to take on the triathlon as a relay team if YOU can help us get 1,000 new Facebook fans! Tell your friends to "like" our page – www.facebook.com/sharsheret.org - and post your name on our wall as the person who referred them and not only will you and one lucky friend be eligible to win an iTunes gift card, but Elana will swim in the Hudson, Rochelle will ride her bike on the West Side Highway, and Ellen will lace up her sneakers and cross the finish line in Central Park next Sunday!  We're ready to take on the 10-day challenge - are you?!?

Helping Us Help You

By: Ruthie Arbit, Sema Heller Netivot Shalom Summer Intern

After 10 weeks of interning at Sharsheret, I can safely say that I went from a state of bewilderment from when I initially heard about Sharsheret in April to a state of admiration. Then, I was struck by the cause; I didn’t know that breast cancer and ovarian cancer were Jewish issues and I wondered what Sharsheret was doing to help Jewish women facing these illnesses. Now, I am in awe as I think about the callers, the peer supporters, and the volunteers who help us at Sharsheret do what we do.

The Sharsheret office is an incredible place. On any given day there is a string of devoted volunteers popping in and out, Team Sharsheret athletes coming in to meet with the staff, and the daily visit by the postman who picks up packages filled with hundreds of breast cancer and ovarian cancer brochures to be delivered to women and families, health care professionals, conferences, and Jewish organizations nationwide. Add all of this to the hard work that the dedicated staff at Sharsheret puts in – providing emotional support to women living with cancer and their families, answering countless questions from health care professionals about the unique needs of their Jewish patients, planning outreach events to spread the word about Sharsheret’s programs and services, coordinating medical symposia, and processing generous contributions from donors. It’s no surprise then that after only 10 years since its inception, Sharsheret has become an esteemed national organization with 11 programs, more than 1,200 peer supporters, and thousands of volunteers and supporters.

However, what impresses me most about Sharsheret are the women. The women who call Sharsheret for support as they ponder the potentially life-changing decision of whether or not to undergo genetic testing, the women who have just finished their final round of chemo and are already volunteering to be peer supporters, and those who are living with metastatic cancer and finding value in every day moments.

All of these women amaze me.

So, as I near the end of my internship, I want to say thank you to the women whose strength fuels the energy of Sharsheret. I am sure that this won’t be the last time I will be surprised by the amazing work of Sharsheret, its staff, and its women. Although my internship is ending, my connection to Sharsheret will remain strong. I look forward to joining Sharsheret’s volunteer force and contributing my time and skills to this wonderful organization.

Meet Team Sharsheret’s 10 Triathletes!

We are excited to introduce Team Sharsheret’s 10 athletes who will compete in the Nautica/NYC Triathlon on August 7, 2011. Our athletes have been training hard for this Olympic Distance Race that includes a 1500m swim, a 40k bike, and a 10k run! Please join us in supporting their athletic and fundraising efforts as they take on this incredible challenge.

Jonathan Blinken

David Bosses

Robert Eisenberg

David Glick

Judah Greenblatt

Mark Levie

Rebecca Schwartz

Talya Spitzer

Max Trestman

Laurie Wechsler Horn

Get in shape with Sharsheret!

Whether you’re an experienced athlete or a beginner, Team Sharsheret has lots of exciting opportunities to help you stay in shape and challenge your athletic abilities. Check out these events and competitions and let us know which one you want to sign up for!

• Ever dream of running 26.2 miles? Team Sharsheret has slots for the ING NYC Marathon on November 6, 2011! Don’t live in the tri-state area? We offer one round-trip ticket from your U.S. hometown to a NYC area airport! E-mail athletes@sharsheret.org to apply for your slot today and include your name, phone number, and a brief description of yourself and why you want to join Team Sharsheret. For more information, visit Team Sharsheret 2011 ING NYC Marathon.
• Join award-winning Team Sharsheret at the NYC Race for the Cure, September 18, 2011 in Central Park, NYC. Sign up before July 16th and save $5 at www.komennyc.org/goto/sharsheret2011 and click on the words "Join Team".
• Team Sharsheret has slots for the now sold out 2012 Ironman US Championship, a 140.6 mile race, to be held in the greater NYC/NJ area on August 11, 2012. This race will be the first ever Ironman competition in the New York City metropolitan area. For more information, e-mail ekleinhaus@sharsheret.org.

Want To Run The ING NYC Marathon?

DIDN'T WIN A SLOT FOR THE

ING NYC MARATHON ON

NOVEMBER 6, 2011?

TEAM SHARSHERET HAS SLOTS!

E-mail athletes@sharsheret.org to apply for your slot today and include your name, phone number, and a brief description of yourself and why you want to join Team Sharsheret.

For more information, visit Team Sharsheret 2011 ING NYC Marathon.

Help us reach family and friends!

Looking forward to welcoming you to Team Sharsheret.

Starting For You, Finishing For Us

By: Rochelle Shoretz, Sharsheret Founder and Executive Director

Dear Heather, Janine, Tami, Natalie, Alyse, Aviva, Penina, Alexa, Melanie, and Amy,

You must be excited. I’ve heard about your training, the months of stretching and practice runs that you’ve plowed through to finish the NYC Half-Marathon on Sunday. You’ve been comparing athletic gear, finish times, running techniques. Many of you are competing for the first time, proving to yourselves that you can take on this challenge. Others have competed before, proving to yourselves that you are stronger and faster than in years past. On Sunday, you’ll stand at the start line with a rush of adrenaline about the personal challenge ahead.

But at the end of your run – when you cross that finish line – you will have raced for us, the women and families of Sharsheret. We will be there – patients and survivors – to say thank you for all you have done to support our journey through breast cancer and ovarian cancer. We will be there – mothers, fathers, sons and daughters – to say thank you for the funds you have raised for the programs that make life so much better for those we love facing cancer. We will be there – friends, community leaders, doctors and nurses – to say thank you for raising awareness about the impact of breast cancer on our Jewish community.

So run your best race for you. We’ll be there at the finish line to say, “Thanks. We know you did it for us.”

Best,
Rochelle

Only A Few NYC Triathlon Slots Left!

"Race Day was truly amazing! Training and racing with Team Sharsheret took me on a life changing journey. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

- 2010 Team Sharsheret Athlete

Looking to compete in an elite Triathlon event this Summer? Team Sharsheret only has a few slots left for the 2011 Nautica NYC Triathlon on August 7! APPLY NOW by sending an e-mail to athletes@sharsheret.org with your name, your phone number, and a brief description of who you are and why you want to join Team Sharsheret.

We:
· Provide a coveted slot in the now sold-out Triathlon, race registration, and related fees
· Dress you in official Triathlon gear
· Offer bike training in New York's Central Park and Northern New Jersey, as available
· Can arm you with online running, swim, and bike training routines
· Surround you with athletes who will motivate and inspire you to reach the finish line in support of this important cause

You:
· Agree to raise a minimum of $5,000 for Team Sharsheret to support our national programs (We make it easy, with personalized pledge pages on Sharsheret's website!)
· Notify friends and family of your participation in this year's Triathlon
· Have the competitive experience of a lifetime

For more information and to apply now, please e-mail athletes@sharsheret.org with your name, your phone number, and a brief description of who you are and why you want to join Team Sharsheret.

Please feel free to share this with a friend.

See you at the finish line!