MCRD/ERR PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- Staff Sgt. Shaun L. Watson, operations chief, Mike Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, is running for health...the health of others.
On April 22, he will devote his strength and energy to raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training by participating in the Hilton Head Triathlon.
He has already achieved his goal of $2,300 he had intended to raise for the society. All of the money he raises will go toward battling leukemia, one of the leading diseases contributing to the death of children less than 15 years old.
In the last year alone, more than 100,000 Americans were diagnosed with Leukemia and related cancers, according to imfomation gathered at www.leukemia.org .
"Shaun is the only tri-athlete from the Beaufort area training this season," said Darlene Benton, branch director, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. "To have to train alone is hard, but he has made special effort to come to as many of our bi-weekly team meetings here in Charleston as possible. I admire the fact that Shaun is helping our organization when he has a very demanding job, as well as a young family."
That family is one of the main reasons he became aware of the society. Three months ago, Watson's third daughter was born. Immediately after her birth she was taken to the intensive care unit in Charleston.
"My daughter was born with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia," said Watson. "She went into surgery the second week after being born and she has had a lot of things wrong with her."
Her disorder is caused when a defective adrenal gland secretes to many androgens, hormones responsible for the development of male sex organs, while in utero.
Watson felt compelled to contribute to the medical profession because of the amount of help he has received with his daughter, even though her disorder is not a blood cancer like Leukemia.
"Many of the people who join Team in Training have been touched by blood cancer," said Benton. "Others join to achieve a personal goal only. By the time everyone completes the program, they become strong advocates for our mission to find a cure and to improve the quality of life for the patients and families that we serve."
Watson has bold plans of participating in triathlons every year to help raise money for the society.
"If someone helps you out, you feel obligated to give something back...to do something," said Watson. "I called [Leukemia and Lymphoma Societies Team in Training] and said I am interested."
Watson said he wants to give all of the money he can to the cause. He made up the Team in Training flyers himself and has put fourth all start up costs to get himself known and to begin raising funds for his cause.
"When you have three kids, you always worry," he said. "You just say, I hope it never happens to me, and then, what can I do to ease others pain and help them out a little bit."
Watson has achieved his fundraising goal of $2,300 and accomplished it totally by face-to-face fundraising, said Benton.
"My hat is off to him," she added. "Programs like Team in Training enable the society to funnel money raised into much needed research to find a cure for the blood cancers and support the many patient services programs we provide," said Benton.
The society is a non-profit, voluntary health organization whose undertaking is to help cure leukemia and its related disease, while improving the quality of life for patients and their families.