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!