Since this didn't go so well last time, I'll elaborate on this for the new round of voting.

This is a long story so I'll shorten this WAAAAY up still starting from the beginning. When I was little kid some of my earliest memories were from hard times, my dad was sick, he was fighting cancer of the nasopharynx. He couldn't work, we had no money, our extended family was buying us groceries and helping with the bills and stuff of that sort. He survived, it's had lasting effects but he's still alive some 20 years later. Fast forward a few years, my best friend Matt that I've known literally since birth, he lived across the street from me all the way till college, I was his best man in his wedding, 26 years as my best friend and still going strong. In fact we leave in 2 days to go skiing in the mountains. Anyways when his oldest sibling was in middle school she was diagnosed with cancer. Because she had cancer him, his brother and their sister starting going to this 2 week summer camp called One Step At A Time, eventually their mom even ended up volunteering and working there as well. It was a camp for kids and siblings of kids who had/have cancer. He's been involved in One Step at a Time for like 15 years now, both as camper as a counselor once he became old enough. He got to be really good friends with a lot of the people from camp and being his best friend that meant so did I. I used to drive up and visit for an afternoon in the summer and stuff like that. I have a lot of very close friends that I met because of the camp. Unfortunately I've also lost some close friends due to the nature of why the were at that camp. My friend Colleen, she had cancer in highschool and by the time she turned 19 both of her parents had passed away from losing the battle with cancer. Jackie was the person I got closest to of all the campers I met, she had cancer in her leg and beat it, it came back in her knee and spread, she lost her leg from mid thigh down but beat it, it came back again in her lungs and she beat it once more, after a couple years cancer free she went to the doctor because of back pain, the cancer came back again and was wrapped around her spine. This skinny little (now in college) girl had more fight in her then anyone I've even met, but this time she was in a fight she couldn't win. She passed away a few years ago. There were alot of people that touched your life when you met them, little kids forced to persevere through terrible circumstances and pulled through alive and happy with a smiles on their faces, it was inspiring. One of the most inspiring people I met was a guy my age named David. He lost left leg to cancer at a young age and it was mind boggling to see what he could do. With one leg he was a co-captain of his high school wrestling team, in the 2003 Endeavor Games he won gold medals in shot put and long jump. Fake leg and all he could outrun me, he grew up to be a personal trainer at Lifetime Fitness. Damian we a few years older then us, he wasn't a close friend but he was well known and respected by everyone. He was basically the cool older guy that was a role model to the younger kids, that's how I always saw him anyway. When he was barely into his teen he was diagnosed with cancer in his knee/femur a year later he was re-diagnosed with it in his other knee/tibia. When he was 15 he became the ONLY known survivor bi-lateral osteosarcoma. By know he has had just shy of 20 knee replacement/revision surgeries and is still going strong.

David and Damian joined together and with the help of another started a non profit organization....



When Super Gimp isn't fighting with the lawyers of DC Comics (who feel they own a geometric shape and the word super) they are doing fund raisers and promoting their cause. They have been invited to speak at schools to promote tolerance and information about the disABLED. I'm trying to contribute my part, I've signed up and I've committed to run the 26.2 miles through the streets of downtown during the the 2010 Chicago Marathon to raise money for Super Gimp. Here's your chance to help out. I'm not asking for money or for you to donating anything..... although if you'd like to you can click here. What I'm asking for is votes. The Pepsi refresh project is giving away tons and tons of money to good causes, Super Gimp has put in a bid to get Ability Center the funding it's need to really get up and going.

Click the link, read the overview, vote and help spread the word.

Kick off America's first Ability Center for people with disABILITIES. | Pepsi Refresh Everything

The 3rd picture, the guy with the fake leg sitting in the water, that's David that I mentioned above... leaning to wake board

thanks



PS. You get 10 votes a day everyday all month, make them count!