206 Immokolee Drive
Portsmouth RI 02871
July 28, 2004
Dear fellow member of Tiverton Yacht Club,
As you may recall, for several years I have written to members of the Tiverton Yacht Club to request support of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in honor of a past club member, Ron Carr. As I’ve mentioned before, Ron Carr, a deceased member of the Tiverton Yacht Club, was one of the best sailors ever to fly the Tiverton Yacht Club’s burgee. Ron died at a very young age, a victim of leukemia.
While in a brief stage of remission, Ron was chairman of, sailed in, and won the first Leukemia Regatta as a member of TYC. He, his family and friends raised a large amount of money in that regatta for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. As I recall, he passed away within a year of that event.
Last year at about this time I visited a sailing friend of many of us, Russ Cardoza, who had just had a bone marrow transplant. Russ , a member of the Bristol Yacht Club, and a co-founder of the Mount Hope Sailing Association (along with our Chuck Saccardo) lost his battle with Lymphoma last fall.
The good news is that an increasing number of battles against Leukemia and Lymphoma are being won. Last month I had the pleasure of attending a lecture by Gary Jobson, a member of the America’s Cup Hall of Fame. You’ll remember him as Dennis Connor’s tactician and the ESPN yachting commentator. Gary has been battling Lymphoma and after a bone marrow transplant, he is currently cancer free and will be commentating on the up coming Olympic Races. Ironically Gary has been the National Chairperson of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Regattas.
Each year the Leukemia Cup Regatta is held in Narragansett Bay as well as in other major sailing locations. Last year TYC was well represented on the water with eight entries ( modestly, I must report winning my class). Of more importance, is the fact that the Regatta raised $138,000 and TYC sailors raised $15,000 to fight this disease, the top fund raising club on the bay. Our John Handfield raised $11,603 alone. It’s too bad we don’t have a clubhouse to house the beautiful trophy we won.
The bottom line of this letter is to ask you to consider a donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to help fight Blood Cancers. I would appreciate your sending your check to me so I can include it in my boat’s totals (or donate it to another participating club member). Last year my boat was the 7th highest boat in fund raising out of 70 entries. Your check may be sent to my address above.
Thank you for your consideration,
John F. Brady