Tisha was a Guiding Light!

Tisha Pasinski, a courageous woman who fought her illness for an entire year, is now in God's grace in Heaven.

Tisha, you may not be with us any longer physically but will ALWAYS be with us daily in our hearts and thoughts. Your children will always have such fond memories of their Mommy. We are all here for Joel as you now pass him the torch and we all will take great pride in watching your beautiful children grow and honor you.

I will be thinking of you with every stroke I take this Saturday in San Francisco.

Joel has requested that in lieu of flowers please make a donation to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in Tisha's name or simply donate to the family directly through this blog.

We love you Tisha!

Tisha is still Fighting. Keep her in your prayers!

Tisha is now in hospice care and continues to fight. Joel and the kids are their by her side daily. Please keep the family in your prayers. I am making my way to Alcatraz Island again this Saturday to attempt the swim again. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate and we will get in the full 1.5 mile swim.

Prayers are needed for Tisha

Unfortunately, Tisha's health has taken a turn for the worse. The cancer cells have returned and she is currently undergoing a few more rounds of chemo in hopes of getting the cancer back in remission. Please keep Tisha and the Pasinski family in your prayers. Any additional donations would be greatly appreciated.

Alcatraz Swim a Success!

Despite the fact that the race organizers had to re-route the swim due to severe fog around Alcatraz Island, the swim went very well and I completed the 1.2 mile swim in 37 minutes. Please keep Tisha in your thoughts and prayers as she battles this terrible disease.

Tisha is back home.........

Tisha is now out of the hospital and has been home for over a month now. On May 19th, it will have been 100 days since the stem cell transplant. That will be a big milestone for her and the family. Swim training is going well. I'm training with my office colleague and good friend David Merisko who is also doing the Alcatraz swim with me. We train at 6:00 a.m. in the Masters ASU program in Tempe a few days a week and then swim independently as well. This Saturday will be my first open water swim at Saguaro Lake. It's a 2,000 meter swim (1.25 miles). With the tide and current, the Alcatraz swim will be about 1.5 miles. It will be interesting to see if the progress I've made in the pool will translate out in open water this weekend. Please keep Tisha in your prayers!

Swimming with the Sharks

Friends, family and colleagues,
On June 11, 1962, maximum security prisoners Frank Morris and John and Clarence Anglin chipped through their cement cell walls at the notorious Alcatraz Prison, squeezed through a ventilation shaft to get to the roof, climbed down a drain pipe, scaled a 15-foot fence, and entered the frigid waters of San Francisco Bay. They disappeared into the night, wearing only the meager life preservers they made from stolen rain coats, and were never found, seen, or heard from again. Did they make it to shore safely? We will never know.

On June 6th of this year, I will attempt the same swim from Alcatraz Island to the friendly confines of the San Francisco Aquatic Park. Why? It's certainly not my love for icy waters, strong currents or sharks and jellyfish.

Last year, my very good friend Tisha Pasinski was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). She has currently undergone numerous chemotherapy sessions as well as a stem cell transplant. Tisha is a beautiful 35 year old woman with a resolute spirit who we are confident will conquer this disease. She has the loving, enduring support of her husband Joel and their three beloved children Jakob, Tatum and Joshua.

All of us who have been touched by those who have courageously battled cancer can understand the emotional and financial hardships that are a result of this valiant fight. Please help sponsor me in this event so that we can lend a small hand to a wonderful family in need.

My warmest regards,
Lance Umble