CHARLOTTE, N.C - Parker native Donald Wetzel, 36, does not mind waking up at 4:30 a.m. almost every day to train to run in marathons because he knows his hard work has a purpose.

On Dec. 2, the Allegheny-Clarion Valley High School graduate will run in the Thunder Road Marathon in his hometown of Charlotte.

The 26-mile race

is an American Red Cross fundraiser for Hurricane Katrina disaster relief.

"My hope is to raise $10,000 for this marathon," said Wetzel, who lived in Parker until he was 26.

In his last fundraising marathon effort in San Diego, Wetzel raised $7,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

But for Wetzel running is not solely about fitness. The Allegheny-Clarion Valley High School graduate also runs in memory of his twin brother, David, who died in 1984 at age 14 from a type of bone cancer known as osteosarcoma.

"Donald is extremely motivated by what happened to his twin brother," said Jamey LeVier, a childhood friend of the Wetzel family.

Osteosarcoma is the most common type of bone cancer and frequently affects males between the ages of 15 and 25.

David Wetzel was diagnosed with the disease in 1981 at age 11 when he was taken to Children's Hospital

in Pittsburgh

complaining of severe pain in his right knee.

After three years of combating the cancer that had formed in his knee, the disease finally took his life.

It would be 20 years after the death of his brother that Donald Wetzel would discover an avenue to honor his brother by running to raise money to help others struggling with similar diseases.

In 2004, before the June marathon in San Diego, Wetzel trained vigorously to meet his goal of finishing the marathon in four hours. On race day, he finished just shy of his goal with a time of four hours and 29 minutes.

The marathon in December in Charlotte will be Wetzel's second fundraising event.

Wetzel said the pledges he receives for the race come from friends, family and businesses.

"The goodness of people never ends. If you put a good cause out there, people will continue to help," said Wetzel.

In honor of his brother, Wetzel plans to run at least one marathon in all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C.

North Carolina will be the fifth state Wetzel can cross off his list in addition to Arizona, Virginia, California and Washington.

To sponsor Donald Wetzel, monetary donations may be sent to 9946 Hyde Glen Court, Charlotte NC 28262. Make check out to American Red Cross, place Hurricane Katrina in memo line. Or he can be reached by telephone at 704-516-7213 or by e-mail at wetzel_psu@yahoo.com.