July 29, 2008
Running greetings from CC RxExercise Ambassador Anna Olson!

I’ll be running the 2008 San Francisco Half Marathon on August 3rd, 2008, as a Charities Challenge RxExercise Ambassador.

CC specializes in delivering RxExercise (exercise understood as medicine) leadership to all people, but especially so to those of us in special health populations, special populations of those living with lifelong challenges like arthritis, cancer, depression, diabetes, heart disease, and more.

40% of CC’s members live with a significant health challenge. CC encourages each of us to better manage our challenges through regular, appropriate exercise. And, CC cheerfully motivates many of us to choose personally important goals and then provides goal-oriented training programs. So, I’ve been training for my significant goal event: Running the San Francisco Half Marathon with my CC Team Mates, special friends all.

Among my CC Team Mates are those living well beyond arthritis, joint replacements, and cancer. We are each much better managing our health challenges through our own RxExercise, and we encourage one another to “live well beyond” life’s challenges.

The significant health challenge I’ve faced is clinical depression and anxiety.

Clinical depression/anxiety is a chemical imbalance in the brain that cannot be corrected by “thinking positive” or “snapping out of it.” It is an illness that affects 20 million Americans and is the leading cause of suicide if inadequately treated or left untreated altogether. Depression symptoms can manifest themselves differently in people, but some common signs are feelings of extreme sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest in things they used to enjoy. Abnormal levels of anxiety and physical pain often accompany the disease.

Many sufferers wonder if life is worth living and have thoughts of suicide in order to end to their pain and fear.
I struggled with depression and anxiety for many years before being diagnosed in 1999. My most recent very challenging episode happened during the last six months of 2007. Through medicine, regular exercise, and being careful of what I eat, my depression is under control again. Since I’ve recovered again I hope to help Charities Challenge in improving the quality of life of others faced with serious health challenges.

Charities Challenge encourages each of us RxExercise Ambassadors first to be about filling our own RxExercise, thereby improving the management of our own health challenges, and secondly fundraising to benefit others with their own special health challenges. CC RxExercise Leaders and Team Mates have provided me extremely generous practical and emotional support through my recent depression episode, so I know my CC fundraising will continue to draw more people out and get them active, thereby helping participants improve their quality of health and life, too.

Yes! I’m happy to run the 2008 San Francisco Half Marathon as a CC RxExercise Ambassador. I’m doing the training, CC fundraising, and running the SF Half Marathon with my CC RxExercise team mates.

I am asking you to join my personal “Anna Olson’s Charities Challenge Support Team”.

The average contribution to CC is about $25, and some contribute as much as $100 or more. Every contribution helps, so please don’t feel that any contribution is too small. Your employer may match your contribution to CC, so please check with your employer to learn if they will match your contribution.

Thank you for whatever amount you contribute as part of my CC Support Team. You’re helping me to keep filling my RxExercise and thereby better managing my health challenges, be an active encouragement to all my CC Team Mates, and continue helping the hundreds of others CC serves with RxExercise leadership.

Please include a personal note of encouragement to me, too. Such notes are a huge encouragement that goes well beyond contributions supporting the CC mission and programs.

Thank you for your words of encouragement, as well as your contributions to my goal. During my ongoing RxExercise and running the San Francisco Half Marathon I will be cheered knowing you support my Ambassadorship.

Most sincerely,

Anna Olson

P.S. Please visit the www.CharitiesChallenge.org website to see inspiring stories, photos and updates about CCrs in action. You may consider joining CC yourself and setting a personally inspiring training goal like the 2009 San Francisco Marathon. We can each “Take Steps to Benefit Every Body”.
P.P.S. If you would like to know at any time in the future how my training and fundraising are progressing, you can email me at AnnaOlson@CharitiesChallenge.org. I will love to hear from you!

*Please make your contribution by cliking on the PayPal button below.

Or, you can send checks payable to CC and notes of encouragement to:
Anna Olson
994 Avon St. N
St. Paul, MN 55103

Raising RxExercise Action Above Awareness
Charities Challenge Mission -
To Improve Health/Fitness, Reduce Health Risks, and Enhance Disease Management via Goal-oriented RxExercise Training Programs, Engaging Events & Active Partnerships.
CC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Tax ID #41-2079368