Run of a lifetime

Student turns his life around to help others

When Paul Dickey was a child, he and his best friend Alex, a tan Chesapeake Bay retriever, used to play by a lake. In the winter, when the lake froze over, Dickey and Alex would race to the other side. Dickey always won.

"It was so fun to watch him try to run on the ice," Dickey said. "All four of his feet would go into overdrive, but he wouldn't go anywhere."

Last year, Dickey was forced to put his best friend of 11 years to sleep. Alex had leukemia.

Suddenly the disease had personal meaning.

Grasping for more information about this devastating form of cancer, Dickey turned to the Internet, where he found dozens of stories about how the insidious disease affected the lives of other people.

"I really didn't know anything about leukemia until my dog passed," said Dickey. "The helplessness I felt with Alex -- I can't even imagine how people deal with the loss of a son, daughter, mother or father."

Now, the 26-year old CSUS business major is raising money for a cure for the disease. Dickey is a member of the Leukemia Society of America's Team-In-Training, which is a non-profit group that raises money for leukemia research.

Dickey is running in the name of five-year-old Jeremy McConnell, a Sacramento youth who underwent a bone marrow transplant last December. The surgery has enabled him to stop chemotherapy and has raised his blood cell count.

Dickey wears McConnell's hospital bracelet daily as a constant reminder of the little boy's bravery and strength.

"Looking at it helps me work toward my goal of finishing the marathon," he said.

Dickey, with determined eyes, said he not only wants to finish the race, but to finish strong.

The 200 members of Sacramento's Team-In-Training are trained by professional runners to run a full marathon of 26.2 miles.

As a member of Team-In-Training, Dickey said every week he runs 39 to 47 miles, bikes 20-30 miles, and swims three miles both individually and with the group. Last year, he kicked an eight-year, two-pack-a-day smoking habit, and for the last four months he has not consumed junk food, coffee, soda or alcoholic beverages.

"I'm in incredible shape, and have gone through a complete purification in my body," he said.

Trina Krider, campaign manager for the Sacramento chapter of the society, said that Team-In-Training has been their most successful program for fundraising, since its implementation in 1988.

"Team-In-Training is a win-win situation," said Krider. "The participants get professional training to compete in marathons, while doing something beneficial for the community."

To participate in Team-In-Training, participants must sign a commitment form promising to raise a certain amount of money.

In Dickey's case, he had to promise to raise at least $1,500 to run the marathon. If he does not meet his goal, the remainder of the money must come from his pocket. Krider said that this is to ensure the society is not spending money to train people who are not committed to the eradication of the disease.

"It's tough to raise money," Dickey said. He has received some support through two CSUS fraternities.

This weekend, Beta Alpha Psi is sponsoring a car wash to help Dickey raise money and Alpha Chi Omega sorority has made a commitment to donate $250 to Dickey.

Dickey still has a long way to go, he has raised just over $600.

Assisting Dickey in his effort to raise money is Rebecca Dowd, a CSUS graduate student who contacts major corporations for sponsorship. Dowd, who suffered from a major head injury, that left here with damaged motor skills, has succeeded in receiving contribution commitments from The Gap and Hyatt Regency Hotels (see sidebar).

"I'm hoping to break $5,000 by my deadline of Nov. 21," he said.

The runners will compete at the California International Marathon on Dec. 6.

Runners seek sponsors to make contributions that are sent directly to the society. The money goes to research funding, providing patient services, sponsoring professional education and developing educational materials for patients and the public.

According to the LSA, leukemia is an acquired genetic injury to the DNA of a single cell, which becomes abnormal and multiplies. The new cells interfere with the production of healthy blood cells, and make the body unable to protect itself against infections.

An estimated 105,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with leukemia and related diseases like lymphoma and myeloma. An estimated 600,000 people are estimated to be living with these diseases and an estimated 59,200 will die from one of them.

For those interested in supporting Dickey in his efforts, he can be reached at 331-9685 or via e-mail at pdickey@csus.edu.

For those interested in the Team-In-Training program, contact the LSA at 369-0812.