My Fundraising Page

To my fans, friends, and family,

Today, I am celebrating what would have been my friend Dave Harmer's 27th birthday. Those of you who have physical copies of Happy Happy may have noticed the last line of the acknowledgements inside. If you haven't, it says "this disc is dedicated to the memory of my friend Dave Harmer." In case you don't already know, here is Dave's story.

I first met Dave in the summer of 2006. His girlfriend, Claire, had just started working with me at my day job. Claire and I became fast friends, even though I'm four years older than she is. Adam and I invited Claire and Dave over for dinner at our apartment - something I almost never do because I hate housework - and we had a great evening. Adam, who is often shy around new people, bonded with Dave easily over mutual musical tastes (specifically Muse, if you're interested). The next day, Claire came into work and told me that as they were leaving our place, Dave said "Wow, so that's what we're going to be like in four years." If only that were the case.

The following Summer, Dave asked Claire to marry him and they started planning their wedding. The date was set. Then in December 2007, Dave was diagnosed with ALL - Acute Lymphatic Leukemia. He had a great prognosis. Everyone said it was very curable, and it was. He got better in time to marry Claire on the planned date - October 11, 2008. The only thing they had to postpone was their honeymoon, so they planned it for their first anniversary. In their first year of marriage, Dave relapsed and beat it a second time. They bought a house and moved in days before their planned honeymoon, but Dave was too weak to help with the move. They knew it was back.

Dave beat the cancer yet again, but his doctors all felt that it was a good idea to pursue a more aggressive treatment. Dave had a bone marrow transplant in March 2010, just days before his 26th birthday. The transplant didn't take, so he had a booster on June 10, 2010. Dave left us three days later. I promised Dave, just before he left, that Happy Happy would be dedicated to him. He was an avid music lover and so very supportive of me in my efforts to make my own dreams a reality and find my Happy Happy.

It's now been four years since that first dinner at our old apartment. My only comfort in this is the knowledge that Dave left this world having found his Happy Happy in Claire.

Please help me raise money for The Leukemia Lymphoma Society in Dave's memory. Their biggest annual fundraiser, The Light The Night walk, is this October, and this year I am thrilled to be participating. Last year you guys raised over $400 in a week and a half. This year I've got 7 months to prepare, so I'm raising my bar and going for $1000. I think we can do this.

As an added bonus to donating, I will send you an LLS Bracelet and a Thank You note should you like. I will autograph the bracelet too if you like, just say so. Finally, everyone who donates $50 or more to my page will receive an autographed copy of Happy Happy along with their thank you note and bracelet.

I hope all of you find your own Happy Happy.

Welcome to my Light The Night Walk homepage.

Light The Night Walk is The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's evening walk and fundraising event. It is the nation's night to pay tribute and bring hope to thousands of people battling blood cancers and to commemorate loved ones lost.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) funds lifesaving research that has contributed to major advances in the treatment of blood cancers and treatments for other types of cancer, such as chemotherapy and stem cell transplants. New targeted therapies that kill cancer cells without harming normal tissue are providing drugs and procedures that are improving quality of life.

In fact, in 2009 alone, LLS researchers were conducting more than 90 clinical trials, a critical step in the development of new treatments and cures that will help patients live better, longer lives.

• A donation of $25 provides patients and their loved ones with FREE booklets that contain up-to-date information on their disease and help them make informed decisions about their treatment options.
• A donation of $50 makes possible a Family Support group with a trained facilitator where comfort can be found and experiences can be shared among patients and family members.
• A donation of $100 helps supply laboratory researchers with supplies and materials critical to carrying out their search for cures.
• A donation of $1,000 makes possible one- on-one conversations with health care specialists who provide patients with information about their disease, treatment options, and helps prepare them with questions for their health care team.

Please make a donation to support my participation in the Light The Night Walk and help save lives. Be sure to check my Web site frequently to see my progress, and thanks for your support!