3Days in PINK! My 3-Day Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure! Philadelphia, October 15-17, 2010! - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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3Days in PINK! My 3-Day Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure! Philadelphia, October 15-17, 2010!
Who: Me, Sue (rescuesk), just turned 50!
What: The Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure, 60 miles in 3 days.
Where: Philadelphia
When: October 15th through the 17th, 2010
Why: Because I can. Because I need to do this for those that can't. And because this disease needs to go away and never come back again.
Where do I even begin? Should I start with what am amazing journey this was? Or what it meant to me? Or what we needed to do to get here? Or, maybe, I'll just start at the very beginning....
My Mom, Joan, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987. She fought the good fight, but she lost her battle on March 15, 1989. It was a very difficult time in my life. I was in paramedic school, and lived 2 states away. I always felt that I couldn't give her as much time as I wanted to. But I had a grueling schedule with a class coordinator that gave no quarter for anything. In fact, the day of my Mom' funeral, I drove to New York that morning, buried my Mom, drove back home, and drove an hour to school to take a cardiac test. I was told that I would be out of the class if I didn't take the test. I think my Mom would have wanted me to finish school, and I did.
As the years went by, I knew that my Mom had not really left me, nor did she feel that I didn't give her enough time. She is there for me in oh so many ways, and not a day goes by that I don't feel her presence. I wished for her real self many times, but she didn't get to live her lifetime. And I knew that I wanted to do something.
I wore pink in October, have a magnet on my car, get my yearly check-ups, etc, etc. But surely, there had to be more...
In October on 2009, I was asked to walk in a "pink light walk" sponsored by our local hospital in conjunction with our local university. This consisted of a walk through the streets of East Stroudsburg holding pink-lighted candles, wearing pink shirts and carrying pink banners. We met at the University around 6, just as it was getting dark. The line was out the door! I'm not sure if they expected this many people, but well over 1000 were there. They ran out of lights, T-shirts and cookies! We each got a T-shirt and shared a light. No cookies, though.
The event started off with a speech from a breast cancer patient. She was in her late 30's, and had regular mammogrms every year. Nothing ever showed until earlier this year, and by then, it had metastasized to Stage 4 bone cancer, too. This young and lovely mother was standing up, telling us all to fight and never give up. Suddenly, the need seemed overwhelming.
On the way back from the walk, my friend Mitzi told me that she was going to be walking in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the cure next year. This was an event held in 25 cities around the world every year. You walked for 3 days, did 60 miles, and raised funds for breast cancer. You got to sleep in pink tents. You met lots of nice people. You ate great food. And the cause was great!
Could I do this? I thought about it overnight, and called Mitzi the next day. Yes, count me in. She sent me the website, which I bookmarked and promptly forgot about.
Alot of things happened in the next 3 months. My husband got laid off, my Dad ended up in the ICU for the holidays, we were trying to stay afloat...well, life, of course. I still hadn't registered or done any of the initial paperwork. Could I do this?
And one cold January night, sitting at my computer, it came to me. Of course I could do this. If I didn't, who would? I would walk for my mother. I would walk for Mitzi's friend Laura. I would walk for all those breast cancer victims that couldn't walk for themselves. I logged on, paid the registration fee, and I was in. And I would not fail.
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Thank you for doing the walk. I unfortunatley lost my mother to cancer when I was 19 years old. It started out as breast cancer and grew from there. Your post was very emotional as it reminded me so much of what I went through. I was able to raise money for our local Susan G. Komen race last month and it feels so good to do it! I know your mother would be very proud of you!
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Can't wait to hear the rest! I did the 3 Day here in DC in 2003. It was one of the best experiences of my life! Every time you thought you couldn't walk another step, there would be a survivor standing along the route cheering us on. I start crying even thinking about it - it was an incredibly emotional weekend.
GREAT JOB, and your mom was certainly smiling down!!
I lost my dad to cancer, and a day doesn't go by that I don't think of him, and hope that he's proud of what I do in my life.
I am already Sue! A week before my angel's bday, a friend's Mom lost her fight with breast cancer. Thank you for having the strength to decide to do the 3 Day. Looking forward to the rest of the story!
These stories are making me teary-eyed sitting at my desk working hard as always. Very inspirational, great job & thanks for sharing.
I lost a friend to cancer on September 7th, her 34th birthday would have been on December 13th. It's sad, sometimes people (like me) don't think about how short life is until; unfortunately, a death like this affects someone close to you.
Sue, you are an amazing woman, one your mother would be so very proud of. Thanks for doing this for her, for me, and everyone else who is fighting or has fought the fight.
Absolutely amazing. Your mom is proud of you. Can't wait to hear how it goes. This sounds more grueling than a marathon....
__________________
Tanya
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I received my information packet a few weeks after registering, and I signed up on the website. I knew very little about the Susan G. Komen Foundation, but I would soon learn alot.
The foundation was started in 1982 by Nancy Brinker. Nancy had watched her beloved sister, Suzy Komen, suffer and die from breast cancer. She made her dying sister a promise: that she would do everything in her power to eradicate this dreadful disease. Even through her suffering, Suzy wanted to make sure that women had a chance in the future. Nancy has helped provide that chance. The Susan G. Komen Foundation has invested over 1.5 billion dollars in research and education, as well as mammograms and prevention programs. The foundation continues to grow every year.
This was a big thing for me. As the daughter of a breast cancer victim, I knew how high my risk factors are. And I knew that although we have made great strides in treatment, we are still not there yet.
I needed to raise $2300 just to participate in the walk. If you don't raise that amount, you either put it up yourself or you don't walk. My husband thought that was an insane concept, but I didn't. I knew it would make me push myself to fund raise and get people to support me. And I knew I could do it.
The plan was this. Friday, October 15th, we were meeting at Willow Grove Mall in Philadelphia at 6 AM. The opening ceremony was at 7. We would walk 22 miles the first day, and camp in Belmont Plateau. The second day would have us walking through many of the outlying areas of Philly, and have us back at the Plateau after 22 more miles. Day 3 started at the Plateau and ended at the Naval Yard, a total of 16 miles, through Center City and South Philly.
I registered everything in mid March, and my fundraising began. A little website called "Facebook" proved to be my greatest ally! I sent messages out to nearly 100 of my friends, and another 50 or so emails.
And the responses! Friends were amazing. I had raised over $800 in my first week, all by $20 and $25 donations with a few $50 thrown in. People were very willing to give. Some friends couldn't give, but pledged their support and good wishes. That was important, too, and would become more so as the walk weekend progressed.
And we trained, too. Not as much as we should have. I tried to walk every day, about a mile or so, and a few times we walked in the park, 6 or 7 miles. I have always been a big walker,and I wasn't worried about the distance. What did have me worried was camping out the two nights in the cold and THEN trying to walk. But all things are subject to change.
Fundraising was the simplest thing and the hardest thing I had to do. I had so many generous supporters. I'm still not sure if people donated just because they got tired of seeing my Facebook posts or if they really wanted to give! I received several donations of $100 and more from very unexpected sources. We had a fundraiser donated by a local restaurant and made even more money. And before I knew it, I made my goal!!!
With my goal complete, I turned my attention to the rest of the planning. We went to WDW the week before the walk, and I did plenty of walking in the world! I came back on Sunday, five days before the walk. I was ready to go!
Sue, you are an amazing woman, one your mother would be so very proud of. Thanks for doing this for her, for me, and everyone else who is fighting or has fought the fight.
Barb, my thoughts are with youall the time.
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I'm sure your mom is very proud of you, I know I am!
Thanks so much, Heidi!
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So proud of you!
Thanks, Marnie!
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I lost a friend to cancer on September 7th, her 34th birthday would have been on December 13th. It's sad, sometimes people (like me) don't think about how short life is until; unfortunately, a death like this affects someone close to you.
I'm so sorry for your loss.
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I am already Sue! A week before my angel's bday, a friend's Mom lost her fight with breast cancer. Thank you for having the strength to decide to do the 3 Day.
I'm so sorry. You have been through so much, you are an amazing woman.
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I did the 3 Day here in DC in 2003. It was one of the best experiences of my life! Every time you thought you couldn't walk another step, there would be a survivor standing along the route cheering us o
It was truly amazing! The support was like nothing I have ever experienced before!
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You are truly an inspiration to all of us Sue for doing this. I know your mother would be so proud of you.
Thanks, Chez!
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I unfortunatley lost my mother to cancer when I was 19 years old. It started out as breast cancer and grew from there. Your post was very emotional as it reminded me so much of what I went through
I am so sorry. I was only 28 when my Mom died, and there was so much of my life that she missed.
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How awesome that you did this walk in your Mom's memory & honor.
She was with me every step of the way.
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thank you thank you thank you (times a million times a million) !
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I'm not sure if they expected this many people, but well over 1000 were there. They ran out of lights, T-shirts and cookies! 
We each got a T-shirt and shared a light. No cookies, though.
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Sue! A week before my angel's bday, a friend's Mom lost her fight with breast cancer. Thank you for having the strength to decide to do the 3 Day. Looking forward to the rest of the story!
I received several donations of $100 and more from very unexpected sources. We had a fundraiser donated by a local restaurant and made even more money. And before I knew it, I made my goal!!!
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