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Contact: Jennifer Devlin (703) 876-1714

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Nations TriathlonMark 2nd Year of Unique Partnership

The nations first triathlon to benefit blood cancer research and the nationsfastest growing triathlon to take place September 13, 2009 in Washington, DC

WASHINGTON, DC -- The partnership between The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and theNations Triathlon marked its second year of bringing triathletes together for a common cause: to help raisemoney for blood cancer research. Utilizing The Leukemia & Lymphoma Societys (LLS) world-famous Team

In Training (TNT) sport training and fundraising program, which has raised more than $950 million and trainedmore than 389,000 people, the Nations Triathlon To Benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is the firsttriathlon in the nation dedicated to raising money to help cure blood cancers.

This years race, scheduled for Sunday, September 13 th, 2009, will include 585 TNT participants and isprojected to raise more than $2.4 million to support research, patient education and support initiatives.

The growing popularity of the sport of triathlon has made this a winning partnership, said NancyLKlein, LLS chief marketing and revenue officer. We started over 20 years ago with a marathon and a team of30; today weve grown to include more than 389,000 people who have taken on marathons, half marathons,100-mile bike rides, hiking adventures, and triathlons to help support our efforts to find cures for blood cancers.

As the fastest growing triathlon in the country, there is no better partner for our Team In Training Program thanthe Nations Triathlon in our nations capital.

The Nations Triathlon, launched three years ago, has grown significantly, from nearly 500participants in its first year to a projected 5000 competitors this year. Utilizing Washington, DCs magnificentvistas and plentiful parkland, the race can continue to grow, with the support of TNT, to become the largesttriathlon in the world. The capacity will not only widen the field for triathletes, but will contribute significantlyto boosting LLSs fundraising efforts.

Many of the TNT participants train to honor loved ones who have battled a blood cancer. For others, itspart of a personal journey of recovery. Kevin Penn from Raleigh, North Carolina, is one such competitor in

this years race. An avid cycler, swimmer and runner, he was diagnosed in 2008 with acute myelogenousleukemia (AML). He shares his story about why he is participating in The Nations Triathlon:

When I finally got the diagnosis after weeks of feeling weak and tired, the disease hadprogressed to the point that I had one-third the normal red blood cells and my immune systemwas shot. It was May 30, 2008, I had just turned 37, my wife was pregnant with our second childand I had just been hit by the proverbial truck. To be blunt, I didn't even know how to spellleukemia at the time, but I knew by the look on the doctor's face that it wasn't a good cancer toget.

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For the next 6 months, I embarked upon the most difficult athletic challenge I have everdone. My fight with leukemia proved to be much more difficult than the bicycle events that I'draced, the marathons I'd run, the mountains I'd summited or the triathlons I'd completed. Iunderwent 6 months of intensive chemo and was hospitalized for much of that time either gettingchemo or recovering from the many infections caused by having a non-existent immune system.

At the low points, I was bed-ridden and too weak to do anything-- including eat. When Iregained some strength, my athletic pursuits entailed wheeling my plastic flower decoratedchemo pole to the end of the hallway and back-- about 200 feet.

Towards the end of my treatments, I was able to muster the strength to ride my bike onmy trainer in the hospital. I fought the only way I knew how-- remaining positive, focusing onthe goal, and doing the daily work necessary to get my body back-- essentially a very similarprocess to the training I'd done for my many athletic endeavors in the past.

Because of the unbelievable love and support of my wife, family and friends, the care ofthe medical staff at Duke Hospital, the advancements of medicine in the area of leukemia

treatments, and a significant dosage of pure luck, I am happy to report that I reached fullremission of my leukemia in November of 2008 (and hopefully it will stay that way for at leastanother 50 years). Therefore, when the registration for the Nation's Triathlon opened up onDecember 1st, I jumped at the chance to participate. The Nation's Triathlon is not only anevent for which I can train to regain my strength; it supports a cause for which I have a newpersonal attachment. I also plan on doing the triathlon as a fundraiser for TNT with my wife.(And weve recruited 18 of our friends to come and do the event with us.)

This is my story for why I am participating in the 2009 Nation's Tri in September. While Icompeted in similar events in the past, hoping for a personal record, trying to get in a certainrank in my age group, hoping to win a cycling sprint for a water bottle prize, I have none of those

pretenses this time. I am participating in honor of my new-found friends who are still fightingfor their lives with much more profound goals. They are hoping to finish the bowl of hospitaljello, to get out of bed at least once that day, to make it through another round of chemo, to notcry when looking in the mirror at their gaunt and hairless reflection, to find the courage andcomposure to smile when a friend enters the hospital room, and fighting simply to survive. I amracing because I am one of the lucky ones to have survived, and I owe it to all who are not asfortunate to do an event which will raise awareness of the disease and raise money for a cure.I'm doing this is the best way I know how-- putting on a swim cap, getting on a bike and lacingup my running shoes.

The 4th Annual Nations Triathlon will take place Sunday, September 13, 2009 in the nations capital.This Olympic distance triathlon includes a 1.5k swim in the Potomac River, 40k bike course through downtownD.C., and a 10k run along Washington, DCs monumental corridor. To register for a charity slot or to be put onthe wait list for 2010, go to www.nationstri.com.

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About Team In Training

LLSs Team In Training, the worlds first, biggest and best sports training and fundraising program, succeeds byharnessing the dedication of people who cling strongest to its goals and by providingfour to five months ofpersonal training, making triathlon doable, even for first-time athletes. Husbands, wives, parents, children and

friends of cancer patients sensing the finish line is just ahead raise approximately $100 million each year,supporting researchers and patients. The financial support has created equally dramatic improvements in theway leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma are diagnosed and treated from new drugs that can cure to improvedtherapies that make treatment less harsh on the body. For additional information, call 800-482-TEAM or visitwww.teamintraining.org.

About The Nations TriathlonTM (www.nationstri.com)The Nations Triathlon To Benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, founded by Charles L. Brodsky, isone of the premiere Olympic distance triathlons in the United States and the only race dedicated to benefittingresearch toward a cure for blood cancers. Set against the magnificent and patriotic setting of the nations capitaland its monuments, participants in the Nations Triathlon will swim 1.5k in the Potomac River, bike 40k

through scenic vistas, and run 10k through downtown D.C.

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the worlds largest voluntary health agency dedicated to bloodcancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkins disease and myeloma, and improve the qualityof life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and providesfree information and support services.

Founded in 1949 and headquartered in White Plains, NY, LLS has chapters throughout the United States andCanada. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org or contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572,Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. www.lls.org.

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