October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Last year, I undertook the task of fundraising and walking for the Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer 3 day walk in Philadelphia. This grueling task involves walking 60 miles in 3 days and fundraising for a minimum of 2200$. This makes you ask why would you do that, doesn't it? I did it for the patients I have seen suffer and die from the disease and I did it for woman, in general...

This was the initial thought anyway and then I began walking. The first day was cold and raining. The terrain was lousy with no sidewalks, mud and wet shoes. Midday we stopped for lunch and to change socks, shoes, and for a general morale boost. Feeling sore and generally miserable, I sat down for lunch with my team and began looking around. I was surrounded by women of all shapes and sizes, varying degrees of health, but all walking for the same cause. We continued on that afternoon- in the rain, up hill and down until we reached our camp ground. As we walked, we talked the people around us. "Why do you walk?" was asked time and time again. I walk for me- I had chemo a week ago, I walk in the hope that someday there will be a cure, I walk for my daughter, whom I lost to breast cancer 2 years ago. I walk for the mother I never got to know, I walk for my best friend- the stories are heart breaking and they cry as they tell you and you cry with them...... I will never forget these incredible individuals and forever, their cause will be mine.

I initially signed up for the walk thinking that the training would be a great weight loss program.... I ended the walk walking for all these incredible woman who have lost their fight and those who continue to fight a horrific disease. I signed up to walk this year but school and life got in the way... There is always next year. Below are the pics from the walk- I am the frizzy haired, bespectacled one. I normally do not look so disheveled but I was walking 60 miles........

the team the first morning........

Me, the second day......