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YMCA Employee Goes The Distance For Leukemia And Lymphoma

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- “If I wanna do it, I’m really gonna do it!”

White Plains runner Doris Fraser Greenfield, an employee of the YMCA of Central and Northern Westchester, will race Sunday to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

White Plains runner Doris Fraser Greenfield, an employee of the YMCA of Central and Northern Westchester, will race Sunday to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Photo Credit: Contributed

So says YMCA Executive Secretary Doris Fraser Greenfield of her upcoming half marathon with Team in Training, raising funds to benefit The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Westchester Hudson Valley Chapter.

Greenfield, who lives in White Plains, has been with the YMCA for the past 23 years as the executive assistant to the CEO.  She began her employment here when recently divorced and parenting two teenagers, and credits the Y with allowing her to attain work/life balance during this transition time in her life.  “The staff, residents and members became my family.  I focused on work and things just fell into place,'' she said.

In her current job, she oversees all fundraising donations, coordinates special events, and works closely with the CEO, Cindy Rubino on the YMCA’s newly implemented rebranding/reimaging campaign and ambitious fund-raising efforts. 

In the summer of 2012 Greenfield was diagnosed with AML Leukemia.  “I was shocked,’ she said, “and actually turned around and looked behind me to see who the doctor was talking to — I figured there was someone else in the room getting this diagnosis.”  What followed was an intensive 9 months of treatment and medical follow up, but happily, Greenfield has been in remission since August of 2012. 

Her illness was a humbling experience for Greenfield.  “The calls, the cards, the notes, the outpouring of support and affection from my Y family and friends was overwhelming”.  She also credits her husband Stewart with her recovery.  “Stewart told me to concentrate on getting better and he would take care of everything else, and that’s what he did,” she recalls fondly.

A mailing from the local Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Westchester Chapter is what first piqued  Greenfield’s interest  to join their popular Team in Training fundraising event.  She and 18 other local Team in Training members will be competing on March 16 in the NYC Half Marathon. 

A longtime YMCA gym user, this is her first time training for a competitive sports event.  She has been training for this event for months and has enjoyed bonding with her new “team in training” friends at team meetings.  When not at her desk, she can be found in the YMCA Fitness Center on the treadmill.  “I’m not concerned I can’t do it,” she says, “I just want to finish in the time allotted.”

When asked how her illness impacted her she reflected for a few moments and then said, “It makes you take stock of your life, your faith, where you are in life and what’s important to you.”

The YMCA of Central and Northern Westchester is proud to salute and support Greenfield’s fundraising efforts.  She has already exceeded her fundraising goal of $1,800 and is still actively soliciting donations. You can make a donationat http://pages.teamintraining.org/wch/halfnyc14/dfrasergre

For more information about the YMCA of Central and Northern Westchester and its programs, contact us at 914 287-2021 or at www.ymca-cnw.org

This article is the first in a look at “The Who Behind the Y:  A Closer Look at YMCA People Who Strengthen Our Community." The YMCA—We Are So Much More than Four Letters! The article was submitted by the YMCA of Central and Northern Westchester..    

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