Hello friends and family! I write to you in support of the NYC Marathon and a very special team, Team Meg. Meg Berte Owen was a very dear friend of mine who passed away at the very young age of 37. Meg lost her battle against lung disease that stemmed from chemotherapy and radiation which was part of her treatment for Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 1997. 

I met Meg at a very early morning cycling class at Equinox where I was her instructor. She approached me with way too much energy, a smile that was WAY too big at 6 am and quite frankly, the most positive energy I'd ever been around. To be honest, she annoyed me. NO one had the right to be that happy at 6 am and to boot, she was beautiful. Even though I found her annoying, I decided that we could be friends and friends we became! We did everything together! We biked, we walked, we shopped, we ate, we traveled, we were in one another's weddings....we were thick as theives. Oh, did I forget to mention that she had basically one lung?? Yes, she was a one lung wonder... oh yeah, and she rode across country with Lance Armstrong, with ONE LUNCH! Who does that???  haha 

If you have any feelings of being inadequate, I'd stop reading now... Meg was her high school Salutatorian, a National Merit Scholor, and an All-American Soccer player. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard where she captained the Varsity Soccer Team and later attended and graduated from Harvard Business School. I know, it sounds made up but it's all true! 

After being treated for cancer at MSKCC, she served on the Survivorship Board at MSKCC and spent so many hours helping and supporting those undergoing stem-cell translplants as she one had. She devoted her time on cancer advocacy and survivorship. She also founded Cancer Chicks, an organization supporting female cancer survivors. Meg was all things amazing.

Unfortunately, Meg got sick in September of 2009 and passed away October 15th 2009. She could not fight her sickness with her limited lung capacity. She packed into her 37 years, more than most would in two lifetimes.

In November of 2009, Joey (my hubs) and I were slated to run the NYC Marathon. Unfortunately, I had to withdraw due to an injury but Joey was able to run. We wanted to do something in her memory and with that, Team Meg was started. We bullied our friends and harassed our families to raise money in her honor. We wanted to donate the money to MSKCC Survivorship. With the help of her great friends and family, we raised $25,000 in about 2 weeks!! It was unbelievable. We decided then and there, that we had to keep that going and with that, Team Meg was founded! Team Meg is now part of Fred's Team and we are one of the TOP teams every year... We have raised over 3 million dollars in grass roots effort and all because of you. Please help us keep this streak going! All money raised goes to Survivorship at Sloan Kettering. 

Meg was an amazing daughter, wife, sister, and friend. Her spirit continues on with Team Meg and I will never forget her or the impact she had on my life and the impact she had on others. She made me a better person and truly a more hopeful person. 

Thank you for your continued support of Team Meg...Love, Vicky

(Below is a video I made for MSKCC and Team Meg....- fun pics from our first Marathon, and friends and family)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=ixjAKIRD-exxJSUg&v=0SlCC-DG7cg&feature=youtu.be