2008 May 25

Angels with Attitude

May 25th, 2008 | Author: Dawn @ Coming to a Nursery Near You

A couple of months ago, a friend from our local Flylady mailing list started asking for donations for her commitment to walk in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Mostly because my Nana suffered with (& beat) breast cancer, I jumped right on the link and contributed. I didn’t know at the time that each team member has to raise $1,800 in order to even WALK in the Walk (which is another blog post in itself). I also didn’t know at the time that The Walk – is more like a marathon. You walk for 2 days. You walk for 39 miles. THIRTY NINE MILES.

I DID know that Deb lost her mom to breast cancer at the ridiculously young age of 44. That’s just 3 years away from where I am right now. Deb has a job, a family, a whole list of responsibilities (especially at this time of year, as she works at a college).

Anyway, I contributed, and at the time, I was the first one to hit her page. Yay! To think that a woman with so much other stuff going on would commit to walking -THIRTY NINE MILES – to raise money & awareness for breast cancer – well, I just thought that was SO awesome and very inspiring.

From time to time, Deb would remind people that she was still raising money – (hint hint, knock knock) – and it was then that I found out that she needed to come up with $1,800 in order to even walk in the Walk. Damn, that’s a lot of money. I was then mad at myself for having only contributed what I did, because now I wasn’t in a position to contribute any more. But I kept my fingers crossed for her, and she did it! She walked. She walked THIRTY NINE MILES. I just can’t get over that LOL

Deb’s team, Angels with Attitude.

When it was done, she sent an email out to let us know she’d done it. I’ve received her permission to reprint it here:

Thank you all so much for your wonderful support of my participation in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in Boston on May 17th & May 18th! I am honored to have been a part of such an incredible experience. The people, the stories and the lives we’ve touched will forever be emblazoned on my soul. I walked proudly bearing the names of those that you asked me to honor: Emily, a 22 year old student who has had a double mastectomy and is still battling this disease; Gabi, a young woman currently battling breast cancer; Leslie, a young mother of one who is now a 1 year survivor; Darleen, my mom, who passed away at the young age of 44. They are only a few of the people who were held in high esteem over the weekend. Everywhere you looked or listened there were stories upon stories of survivors and victims. During the course of this walk, over 600 women in the United States were diagnosed with Breast Cancer….1 every 3 minutes! It’s time to put a stop to this horrible disease!

Yes, I walked the entire 39.3 miles! Yes, my feet hurt! Yes, I am still sore! Yes, I will do it again! As soon as I crossed the finish line, I registered for the final Avon walk of the year in Charlotte, NC which takes place in October. Again, I will join thousands of people on the battlefront. Together we will march to end this horrible disease. In May 2009, I will once again join the Boston walk. I will walk as many walks each year as I am able to until breast cancer is only a horrible memory for all!
Thank you again!
Love,
Deb

She’s signed up AGAIN! Not only for next year’s walk in Boston – but FOR THIS YEAR. In Charlotte. This woman is ~~nuts~~ AWESOME! I wrote to her and told her how incredibly proud I am of her and although my words didn’t seem to truly convey my awe at what she’d accomplished, I can only hope that by seeing this, it will register fully for her. I am in AWE. Perhaps it’s because Deb has always been so supportive and helpful to me during the last 3 years or so we’ve “known” each other on this mailing list – but I think it’s more just because she wasn’t a walker before this. This was a challenge for her, and she did it. She did it TO THE NINES.

Deb, you are such an inspiration! I and the rest of your FlySisters are so very proud of you. You Go Girl!

Of course, we in the mommyblogging world know of WhyMommy’s battle with IBC and the fact that she’s kicking cancer’s ASS. In fact, I’m willing to bet that we ALL know someone who’s been touched personally by breast cancer. One of the things that gave me goosebumps when Deb was knock-knocking was when she signed her emails “walking for my daughter & yours” – oh my God, did that hit home.

So, the very next time that someone you know – or someone you read – or someone you read knows someone who is walking in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, get out that debit card or check book or penny jar. Give what you can – and then a little bit more. These women are true heroes – and they need our help!

If you’ve liked this post or if it’s inspired you to do something more than read, please take a moment to Stumble, Digg or whatever. I’d really love to get this post seen by LOTS of people in the hopes of getting people to really wake up and donate. Thanks! Just click on the “Share Me” button – it’s easy! Thanks!