For those of you that have followed my weight loss journey (or have read about it), you know that a definitive point in my journey to lose the weight was when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. I learned about the disease, studied it and immersed myself in the data. And I made the decision that I had to lose the weight to decrease my risk for diagnosis.
And it changed my life.
At the same time it changed my mom’s.
*For those wondering, my mom is now in remission w/ no signs of cancer. A Breast Cancer survivor!
Through this research, I learned of a woman whose desire in life is to rid the world of this terrible disease. Because it took the life of her sister Susan.
That woman is Nancy Brinker.
Nancy began the Susan G. Komen Foundation in 1982 after her sister (the namesake of the foundation) passed away and now raises millions of dollars each year and continually finds new ways to support those fighting the disease, to look for new leading-edge research and really simply put, to find the cure.
Two years ago, I had the privilege to train and walk through the streets in and around Chicago in the Breast Cancer 3-Day after raising more than $6000 to find a cure. This was my heart and soul that summer.
Without the Susan G. Komen Foundation, I would have missed out on the experience and fun of peeing in port-a-potty’s for 3 days… showering en-masse in trailers (yes they really have those!)… sleeping in a pink tent in a field of pink tents… and watching with heartfelt emotion as the final walker came into camp and the celebrations that all had arrived could begin.
And I dedicated every step I took for my mom.
And speaking of my mom, she tops the list of women I admire. She has been such an amazing role model… not only through the months that she was in cancer treatment… but through her whole life. A life that she dedicated to focusing on her family and being there for us when we needed her. A life that provided the safety and comfort of loving arms that gave us hugs when we were sad or happy. A lifetime of memories of vacations, camping trips and day trips to various places that made us all want to learn more about the world around us. She is truly a blessing to me.
Next year I hope to walk in the Breast Cancer 3-Day event again. To raise money and find a cure to Breast Cancer once and for all. In honor of my mom, my aunt and friends that are now survivors… and in memory of my grandmother that passed away during my freshman year of college after battling the disease off and on for (I think) 15+ years.
I want to rub shoulders with people that have been affected by the disease, those that know someone that has been affected or that person that just wants to walk because it’s the right thing to do. And maybe by walking a few thousand steps, we’ll be one more step closer to finding a cure so no other women have to go through the treatments that so many others have gone through.
The bonds that walking in this event brings is unremarkable. All because Nancy Brinker made the decision to honor her sister’s request to find a cure.
We will find a cure.
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By posting about the woman that inspires me with SITS Back to Blogging week, I am eligible to win a turquoise washer and dryer from Standards of Excellance, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builder Appliances. Thank you so much for that amazing opportunity!
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