Pink, Pink and More Pink

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Perhaps you have noticed. Just yesterday Daniel, E and I were walking in Sam's Club and product after product was packaged in pink.


"According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), an estimated 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed among women in the United States this year."

This month make a conscious effort to buy products whose proceeds help support breast cancer research. Do you eat yogurt? Yoplait has a pink lid initiative. Buy the yogurt with pink lids and send in the lids to help raise money for BCR. Make a donation to Susan G. Komen. Register for the 2010 Breast Cancer 3-Day. Get a mammogram. Wear Pink.

Do you know someone who is currently battling breast cancer? Send them a card. Do you know someone who is a survivor? Make a donation in their honor. Do you know someone recently diagnosed? Send them flowers.

Think Pink this month! Make a difference in the lives of those who have been and who will be affected by this dreadful disease.

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures

Ok, so blogger is giving me a hard time about putting my pictures on here. I will have to figure something else out. Here are the 3 photos it actually uploaded.

The Day After

This past weekend I completed 60 Magnificent Miles as I participated in the Breast Cancer 3-Day. I have lots of stories to share and pictures as well but right now I want to talk about today, the day after.

Today I couldn't help but think of the hundreds of thousands of women who have already been diagnosed with this dreadful disease. Many of them have lost the battle but for hundreds of thousands more they are still fighting. I couldn't help but think of the 100 survivors who walked 60 Magnificent Miles with me in the rain and in the heat this past weekend, including Laurie, a new friend from Dallas who is celebrating her second year cancer free. I smiled as I thought of Arthanise, my dear friend, a two time survivor, who called me on Tuesday night and told me she was coming to Chicago in support of me. I am reminded of the women who were on this journey with me who are currently undergoing treatment. Perhaps they had a bald head or radiation burns on their arms or maybe they were being pushed in a wheelchair by a teammate or daughter.

I couldn't help but think of those women today as I came downstairs and watched Eleanor's face light up as she realized mama was home. Or as I watched her play with a ray of sunshine coming in the living room window as she squealed with delight. Or as I stood in her doorway and watched her nap with her paci and her lovey. Or as I rocked her before bed tonight smelling her sweet baby smell. I couldn't help but think of those women and wonder what today looked like for them.

Hopefully today we are 60 miles closer to a cure!

Why I Walk

I walk

* because every two minutes another woman or man is diagnosed with breast cancer.
* because my mom is a 12 year cancer survivor.
* because my sweet friend Arthanise is a 2 time cancer survivor.
* because Laurie, a young wife, is a 2 year survivor.
* because people need to know that breast cancer affects thousands each year.
* because I can.
* because I don't want my daughter to ever have to hear the words, "I'm sorry but you have
cancer."
* because of women like Sharon, a perfect stranger, who has just finished treatment and who
supported me.
* because I want to make a difference in the lives of others.
* because I don't want my husband to ever have to walk the breast cancer road.
* because thousands of others walk and need to know they are not alone.
* because there is a man walking 600 miles for his wife, a cancer survivor.
* to honor those who have lost their battle.
* to support those who are in the midst of treatment.
* to encourage those who will in the days and months ahead receive a terrible diagnosis.
* BECAUSE EVERYONE DESERVES A LIFETIME!

These Feet Were Made For Walking

In less than 24 hours I will start my 60 mile adventure! I am SO excited. Last night I packed my bag and today I am gathering my last minute things. I am packing diaper bags for daddy and getting meals ready for the little one in an attempt to make things easier on my sweet husband while I am away. I am going to miss my sweet little girl terribly but am looking forward to seeing her and her daddy at the cheering stations.

Cheering stations. One of my favorite things about this event. Throughout the route one each day there are a number of organized cheering stations. Tons of people show up to cheer the walkers on. It is such an encouragement. Many times, those at the cheering stations are breast cancer survivors thanking us for walking. But really, it is us walkers who are thanking them for their support. Walking through a cheering station is always an emotional time. And this year my own personal cheering section has grown.

In just a few hours my dear friend Arthanise will arrive in Chi--town! I still cannot believe she is making the trip out here to cheer me on. If there was ever a moment I thought I couldn't do this event it is long gone. There is no way I could NOT do this event when I meet women like Arthanise who are not only a 1 time breast cancer survivor but a TWO time survivor. Arthanise is a hero in my book and I am so proud to walk in her honor. She was my motivation and inspiration for signing up to walk this year and now she will be here to cheer me on.

Well, there is laundry to finish and bathrooms to be cleaned so until next week.... Eat, Drink, Pee, No IV.

Speechless

This morning I was $88 away from the fundraising requirement for the 3-Day and $288 away from my personal fundraising goal of $2500. As of about 1:00 this afternoon I have exceeded my personal fundraising goal by $50.00. I am ecstatic. The thing that blows me away the most about meeting my fundraising goal is how it happened. The blog world is amazing. I have met some wonderful people through the world of blogs and this story is no different. I am not exactly sure how Sharon came across our family blog but one Wednesday a few weeks ago she visited and left a comment on a photo of our little girl swinging. I proceeded to click on her name and saw that she had a blog entitled Bump in my Boob. I immediately went to her blog and learned that she had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and was undergoing treatment. I left a comment on her blog and the rest is history. It is because of Sharon I can say I have met and exceeded my personal fundraising goal. This does not mean you cannot donate. In fact, I would love to raise as much money as possible for this worthwhile cause.

Sharon, thank you again for your generosity. I will walk proudly in your honor and in support of you. As it gets harder and harder to put one foot in front of the other, mile after mile, I will remember that you are cheering me on and I will continue. Blisters don't need chemo. Sore muscles do not need radiation. Fatigue does not require surgery. But everyone deserves a lifetime and that includes you!

Focus

I need to focus. Last night a friend called and asked me to watch her daughter on Friday. I talked with her for fifteen minutes and we made arrangements for her to drop K off at 8:20am. We talked about my daughter's upcoming birthday party, we talked about her pregnancy and their sweet little one that is on the way, but not once during this conversation did it dawn on me that I could not watch K on Friday because I would be walking. YIKES! I proceeded to hang up the phone and then tell my husband what the plan was. As I reiterated the details of my conversation I suddenly stopped and exclaimed "I can't watch K on Friday - It's the 3-Day!"

Man oh man, has this event snuck up on me! I am really anxious. The first time I participated in this event I had ignorance on my side. Ignorance is bliss really was true. This time around I know how hard it will be. I know that Saturday morning my legs will ache and my feet will be screaming but I will still wake up and walk. I know that by the end of the day Sunday as we approach Soldier Field for the closing ceremonies that tears will be streaming down my cheeks out of sheer exhaustion and out of the overflow of emotions from spending my weekend walking so that perhaps one lady will not have to walk the breast cancer road.

I need to focus on the goal. 60 miles. 60 Magnificent Miles. 60 Miles for my mom. For Arthanise. For my daughter. For the hundreds of women diagnosed each month. 60 miles to a cure!

8 days and $88 away

Wow, the 3-Day is quickly approaching. In just 8 days I will be joining hundreds if not thousands of men and women on a 3 day, 60 mile journey.

I am currently $88 away from reaching the $2300 fundraising requirement. I would like to thank everyone who has so generously made a donation. Your donation will touch more lives than you may ever know and for that I say thank you, thank you, thank you! I know without a shadow of a doubt that Arthanise and her family are grateful for every dollar raised through the Breast Cancer 3-Day. The money raised will go to further breast cancer research, treatment and testing and hopefully one day produce a cure!

I saw a baby onesie the other day that said, "Please find a cure before I grow boobs" and I could not help but think of my precious little girl. Eleanor will turn one just days after I complete this 60 mile journey. I am walking for Arthanise but I also walk in hopes that my little girl will never have to face breast cancer.

3 Days, 60 Miles, A World Without Breast Cancer!

You've Got Mail

Everyone loves to get personal mail!

I LOVE to get mail.

So, here's the deal. Would you like to send me a note of encouragement for me to read while participating in the 3 Day? If so, here are the details of how you can.

There’s nothing like a letter from a loved one to inspire you to keep going. Your friends, family and supporters can write a letter to you, which we’ll deliver to you on the event at the Breast Cancer 3-Day Camp Post Office.

Send letters to:
Breast Cancer 3-Day Camp Post Office
ATTN: Gloria Cooley
PO Box 25145
Chicago, IL 60625

Envelopes only, please. No boxes or large packages. Mail must be postmarked no later than July 28th in order to ensure delivery at the Breast Cancer 3-Day Camp Post Office.

Almost There

In just 18 days I will take off on my 60 Magnificent Miles for Arthanise. I can't wait. I am so excited! The pithy 3 Day mantra "Eat, Drink, Pee, No IV" has already started playing through my head.

Over the weekend I went on a 12.5 mile walk. When I left home on Saturday morning at 7:11 it was a mere 56 degrees outside. O Summer, where art thou? Actually, I am quite glad it was not very warm because after the first 5 miles I was HOT! I love the fact that we live near a nature preserve. It makes it very easy to incorporate long walks into my training. While walking on Saturday I spotted a couple of deer, tons of field mice, a beautiful black bird with orange wings, ducks, geese, swans, herons and a few snakes. Yeah, snakes. In fact, one snake was rather large and scared the bajeebies out of me.

On the fundraising front, I am now a little over $200 away from my fundraising goal. I can't wait to hit that 100% mark!

Still Alive and Walking

Ok, so I didn't really keep up with this blog as well as I had hoped to. I'll just blame it on the fact that I have an extremely active 11 month old who keeps me very, very busy. Not to mention our family blog, the time I spend on facebook and the countless hours I spend perusing the internet and reading other blogs. Yikes, I can't believe I just admitted to the amount of time I "waste" each day on the computer!

I am now 24 days away from my 60 mile adventure. Training has been hard this go round. Between a LONG winter here in Northern Illinois and a baby, getting my walks in has been difficult. I have been getting in a number of 5 mile walks each week with an occasional longer one. My sweet girl and I just returned from a 5 mile walk this afternoon at a near by nature preserve.

Just last week as D, E and I returned home from church I saw two women walking down the street wearing pink t-shirts and hats. I commented to D that perhaps they were training for the 3 Day. A little over an hour later I set out on an 8.5 mile walk and who should I happen to run into - the pink ladies! They were in fact training for the 3 Day. We walked together for the remainder of our miles that afternoon. It was so nice to share my experience with them as this is their first event. It made me so excited about the event. It was a life changing experience for me in 2007 and I expect to be changed even more by this year's event.

I am amazed at the number of women I have met in just the past few years who have had breast cancer or who are currently fighting the breast cancer battle. These women are heroes in my eyes. They are walking a road that is harder than anything I could imagine. I will continue to walk and continue to raise awareness about this disease in hopes that one day no woman would have to walk the breast cancer road.

24 more days
$1008 left to raise
60 miles to walk
A lifetime of change!

Lacking

I am seriously lacking motivation when it comes to training. I am 18 weeks out and need to get a move on it if I am going to be in any type of shape to walk 60 miles. The weather has been a major hindrance and my trips to the mall to walk have become less and less frequent. This week my plan is to purchase a Yoga mat and an Exercise Ball so that I can work on some strength training and stretching. I also plan to get in at least 3 training walks. Hopefully spring will arrive in IL soon and I will be able to hit the trails regularly.

Let The Training Begin

Obviously, training in Illinois in the winter is definitely a very different experience than training in Texas in the winter. In the two short weeks since I began my training I have made several observations.

1. Unless you are a glutton for punishment, are trying to serve penance for some unpardonable sin, or just enjoy freezing your extremities off, outdoor training walks are few and far between.

2. Three layers of clothes is sometimes NOT enough!

3. Your feet will go numb and you won't know if it is because your shoes are too tight or if you are beginning to suffer from frostbite.

4. There are a few essential items to be taken on a walk when you do choose to venture outdoors. Chapstick, tissues, and more chapstick. Also, don't forget your gloves (I learned this one the hard way).

5. Snot will freeze if it is cold enough!

6. Watch out for flying snow or ice thrown off of cars as they speed past. I can speak of this from experience.

7. Creativity is a must. Thank goodness for all those hours I spent watching The Biggest Loser. I have a full repertoire of cardio exercises I can do at home. Our stairs are my best friends.

I am anxiously awaiting the spring when I will be able to hit all the wonderful walking trails in our little town.

Will You Help?

In October of 2007, I took part in the Dallas Breast Cancer 3-Day. I raised approximately $2500 and walked 60 miles over 3 days in support of finding a cure. I chose to walk in 2007 in honor of my mom who was celebrating her 10th anniversary of being cancer free.

This year in August I will walk another 60 "Magnificent" Miles. This time in the Windy City and this time in honor and support of another courageous woman whose family has had to face this ugly disease. I am walking for Arthanise. You can read more about her story here. Arthanise has become a dear friend and I consider it an honor and a privilege to walk in support of her and her battle with cancer.

I am walking so that a cure may be found. So that my sweet little one may never have to know the terrible toll breast cancer can have on a family. I am walking so that Arthanise's husband and children may have another day, month, year, decade with their wife and mom.

This year the required fundraising amount to participate is $2300. My goal is to raise a minimum of $2500. If you would like to help me achieve that goal and help find a cure for this dreadful disease you may click on the donation button on the right side of this blog or you may visit my personal fundraising page.


Thank you in advance for your support!

Arthanise and Eleanor - February 2009