Why I am walking week... - Day 3 - My teammate's reasons for walking

As you know, I am not going on this journey alone.  I have a team of wonderful women that are with me every step of the way.  They have their own reasons for raising tons of money and walking 60 miles.  Today I am giving you their own words in answer to the question "Why are you walking?"

Pam Leaberry, RN  To donate to Pam or visit her page goto - Pam's 3 Day page

Here are ten reasons that I am walking. 

1. I am walking for my Aunt who loss her battle to breast cancer in 2009.
2. SGK foundation helps women who otherwise would not be able to afford the medical care.
3. I am a nurse surrounded my women who are diagnosed and treated for breast cancer and want to help.
4. I like helping people.
5. I am looking forward to sleeping in pink tents in Washington D.C.
6. I like the thought of getting into shape at the same time as helping others.
7. I like my boobs.
8. I really like my boobs.
9. I like pink
10. I really like the enthusiasm and excitement it has brought me to help raise money for this foundation. It feels great to give.

I am walking for my family friends and patients!

 

Pam Naumann, RN To donate to Pam N or visit her page goto - Pam N 3 Day page

I decided to walk this year for my mother in law who I saw pass from colon cancer that did not have a lot of resources that the Susan G Komen fund offers.  This is a wonderful fund to help those cancer survivors feel special, LIVE to the fullest and help with research.  I also see a lot of patients pass away at the Dove House, an inpatient hospice facility.  When you take care of these people, you just want to be able to something,  The 3 day walk is something I can do for them!  3 days 60 miles, I can do that!

Lauren Fair, LPN  To donate to Lauren or visit her page goto - Lauren's 3 Day page

Many people ask, why are you walking?  We all walk for different reasons.  For me cancer has always been personal.  Many of my family members have lost their battle with lung and kidney cancer.  I am fortunate that I have not lost a loved one to breast cancer.  I have, however, seen the pain and devastation that comes along with a breast cancer diagnosis.  Working as a nurse in a small but ever growing community hospital, I am surrounded with patients with many different illnesses.  Yet, it is all to common to have patients with a past or current diagnosis of breast cancer.  So, when asked who am I walking for?  The answer is everyone.  I walk for my family, my friends, my patients, and you.  I am so proud to be walking this year in the Susan G. Komen 3 Day Walk in Washington, D.C. amongst so many survivors.  Doesn't everyone deserve a chance at a lifetime? 

Pam Leaberry, Lauren, Melanie, and Pam Naumann

Why I am walking week... Day 2 - My personal breast cancer scare

My story…

Just 1 short year after I lost a dear friend to breast cancer, a friend who was at the time my mother in law, I found a lump in my breast.  I was 23 years old.  I cannot describe that fear, so soon after watching a beautiful woman who was so full of life waste away and lose her battle with breast cancer.  After a few weeks of absolute denial, I decided to finally get it checked out.  But where could I turn?  I had no health insurance and no way to pay cash for a doctor’s office visit.  My husband and I both worked, but we didn’t make enough to afford coverage at that time for ourselves. So even though I knew it was not the appropriate place to get this checked out, I went to the ER.  I must give kudos to the doctor who saw me that day.  I apologized, and told him why I was there.  I cried, because I was so embarrassed to have to come to the ER for that, and because I was so scared.  He assured me it was ok and he understood.  He checked out the lump, and told me that of course I would need further testing, but that it felt to him like a benign type of cyst. He also kindly pointed me in the right direction – to the local health department – to get started down the right road.  I don’t remember his name or what he looked like, but wherever you are I thank you for your compassion for a scared girl that day.

I then was directed to a gynecologist, who also felt the lump and told me he thought it would probably turn out to be nothing.  I was directed to Sinai hospital then for my first mammogram.  Now THAT was fun…  The doctor/ tech there said it was to hard to read, since I was so young and my breast tissue was still so dense they couldn’t really tell much from it.  So I was then directed to a surgeon.

The surgeon explained once again that it was most likely a benign cyst, but…  I still needed a needle biopsy to tell for sure.  So that’s what he did.  The worst part was that I still had to wait a whole week for the results.  That was a VERY long week.  Luckily, my cyst was benign and small enough that the surgeon said I didn’t need any other treatment; I could just go on my merry way.  But I did need to cut back a little on the caffeine since that may or may not have caused the cyst…

So how was I able to get the care I needed without insurance and without a single medical bill??  I was able to due to grants from foundations like the Susan G. Komen foundation.  I want others who are in the same position I was to have the same care I was given.  I can’t pay for another woman’s medical treatment.  But I do have a voice.  And I do have 2 legs.  I CAN walk 60 miles again to help another woman get treatment, or to do my part to help find a cure so no one needs this kind of treatment… EVER. 

This is why I walk!!!

Why I am walking week, the introduction... Day 1

Welcome to why I am walking week!!

I am dedicating my blog this week to the people who have been affected by cancer in some way and have touched my life. 

This week I am going to write about why I am really going to raise another $2,300, and why I am going to once again walk 60 miles in the biggest and boldest event for breast cancer that exists.  Why I felt I needed to do more for cancer than the average activist for a cure.  Why I feel the need to train and raise money for months out of the year.  There are just way too many people that have touched my life that have cancer.  And not just breast cancer either.  I figure, if we can find a cure for breast cancer, how far away are we from curing ALL cancers?  This is my goal.  To raise money, to raise awareness, and to walk until we reach it:  a world without cancer.

So this week I want to celebrate survivors, remember those who have lost the fight, and send prayers and strength to those who are fighting their battle with cancer right now. 

For today, I am going to list those I plan on making this amazing journey for.  You are the people that have given me the courage, the strength, and the will to undertake this huge event again this year.  Thank you for your inspiration.

My Mother – Edelgard Coen – Celebrating her 7^th year as a survivor!  Yay!

My Aunt -  Cathy Curcio – who is now supporting me from heaven

Tanya Cheche – lost her battle but continues to inspire me
My father-in-law Ron Finkner - celebrating being a 9 year survivor from Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Gina Woolfson – a friend who’s currently fighting her battle and I wish to support any way that I can

Donnie Smith – an old friend from High School that has just went through his battle, and is newly in remission!  Woohoo!

Bridget – an inspiring woman who has been fighting her battle for many years, who spoke at the 3 Day Event last year and shared her story with us.  – Diagnosed at 21 with stage 4, and is still with us and fighting today!!!  And walking in the 3 Day yet again!

Taylor – a young woman fighting for her life right now, and only 23 yrs old with 3 different types of cancer.  She has spent most of this year in the hospital having chemo and many surgeries, and without even trying she has touched hundreds of lives across the country.  Just go to the link from my page on blogs I follow and look up Team 15%!  You will learn to believe!


Please help us by donating on our behalf.  I have my minimum to walk already, but I would love for you to still donate to my team mates who need their minimums to participate.  You can donate by clicking on the following:
Lauren's 3 Day donation page
Pam's 3 Day donation page

The month of 5 fundraisers... Whew!!!

What an exhausting month it has been for me, and for some of my team mates.  We somehow were able to do 5 fundraisers in 1 month.  It has taken a lot of late nights working and preparing, but it has gotten us closer to our goal!

Actually, when I think about it, it's more like 51/2 fundraisers...  We had to do the Joe Corbi pizza deliveries too!!  So here's how the whirlwind month of April went for us!

1)  The mall - well I've already written about our experience doing the treadmill fundraiser in the mall.  So if you missed that one you can always go back to my last blog to read the details on this one.  It was quite an experience!  This one took a lot of preparation work, but it was really fun!

Next is my 2nd 1/2 of a fundraiser)  We had sold Joe Corbi pizzas to our friends and families, and it was definitely a hit.  You should have SEEN the stacks of pizzas delivered in my living room!  It took a while but we got them all delivered.  And... drum roll please...  we EACH got a $100 toward our fundraising accounts, just from selling pizza!  I will absolutely do this one again!  

2)Walmart Day - Well I managed to do it again, somehow I bring bad weather each and every time that I set up in front of Walmart.  So as not to break tradition, it was once again 50 degrees and rainy that morning...  So we did not sell a lot of our handmade items (who wants to check out what we have for sale in the rain?) though we did sell a few, but again the generous donations of the patrons of Walmart did not disappoint us.  

Pam L  and Lauren at our table

3) Texas Roadhouse Dine-out Nite - What a HUGE success!!!  We haven't even gotten the total from the restaurant to see how much the 10% of sales raised, but just the table we were allowed to set up on a busy Thursday night in the restaurant did an amazing amount of sales, our best yet!!!  We couldn't be more pleased with how this fundraiser went, and with the staff of Texas Roadhouse that worked that night and showed up in their pink shirts!  Except for the work printing and handing out flyers and making our wares to sell, this fundraiser did not require a lot of effort, and raised a very decent amount of donation money.  Not only WOULD we do this fundraiser again, but I believe we are doing it again this year!  Thank you Texas Roadhouse!!!!

Me at Texas Roadhouse

4) Next was our bake sale table in front of Smokey's restaurant.  We did it on a Friday night, so as to get as many people as we could, even though 2 of our team members couldn't make it.  We saw a lot of people and sold a decent amount of baked goods, but I don't think we really made enough to make it worthwhile, since it takes a lot of effort to bake all those different things and package them in pink cellophane topped in pink ribbons...  So I believe we've agreed to do 1 more bake sale for 2 of the team members that really wanted to do another one, then we are done with the bake sales.  It's fun and raises awareness, but in the end just doesn't raise enough money when you need to raise $11,500 for your team!

Pam and Lauren at the Four Seasons table

5) Four Seasons Yard Sale Day - Our last fundraiser of the month was at a gym/ fitness/ family complex, where they sell tables/spaces on their huge "front lawn" for people to use as a  yard sale or vendor space.  We were disappointed because we thought with the beautiful weather and all the other yard sales going on in the area that we would have a phenomenal turn out.  Sadly,  that was not the case.  But we chalk it up to experience, and now we know.  Yard sale days are not the best venues for us...

Well some more lessons learned and lot more money raised, we are looking to our big events in the next few months to finish off our fundraising...  hopefully...

Fundraising, training, and more: 24 weeks out...crafty chicks style!

Pam L, Lauren, and I walking in Gettysburg

So for the 2011 DC walk we are officially at the 24 week mark!  How very exciting!  And it's starting to get warm (FINALLY) so we can start training outside in the beautiful sun.  And this year we have 4 entirely different areas that we are walking in, and different routes in those different towns.  So we are hoping to keep the boredom that set in for me last year doing the same ol' walks away.  And it keeps it fair too, since we are all taking turns walking not too far from our homes.

So, you may ask, how exactly is wearing a wig going???  Well, not as bad as I'd feared, yet not easy either.  Since I am always cold at work, I don't have the problem with getting to hot from wearing it.  That's definitely a plus.  And since I have my own hair protecting my head, I don't have a big problem with getting itchy, that only starts to bother me around hour 10, and it's not too bad.  My biggest problem is that where I pin the wig and cap underneath to my real hair, it starts to hurt a little by that 10th hour, and I start thinking maybe I should be a rebel and just pull it off...  LOL!  And I have one problem I didn't think of too much beforehand:  People that I see but I don't really talk to much or at all are starting to wonder if I'm sick!  If they ask someone that works on my floor, they get straightened out and told the real story of my pink hair challenge.  But then how many people don't ask, and then think I have cancer...  So on weekends when I work I've started wearing a pink ribbon scrub cap, like the people that work in the OR wear.  And I make sure some of my hair that is not pink is out in the back, so people can see I still have hair.  But boy do I look ridiculous wearing that all day!  On the bright side of that though is on weekends I'm a lot more comfortable.

So much is going on in this month of April, I am having a hard time finding time to write!  We have 5 fundraisers this month!!!  And new to this year, we've made a whole lot of things to sell at our fundraisers, and it's taken off in a BIG way!  We are a group of crafty chicks this year, and I believe that we will more than meet our minimums to walk, which is totally exciting.  Just a month ago I feared how we were going to raise the $11,500 our team needs to walk; now I'm a little more confident.  So at our first of five fundraiser, we did at the mall in our town.  We set up a treadmill that a friend of mine lent us for the day (Big thanks Gina!) to walk 20 miles in the  mall, and set up a table to sell all of our wares next to it.  We also had a second table with ribbons on it for people to write names of loved ones that have or are battling cancer on for us to carry on our 3 day journey.  We enjoyed ourselves, got some exercise, sold some stuff and got some donations, and got some publicity.  So I would say it was a success.  But we have discussed this after the fact, and because of the high cost of the insurance we needed to purchase in order to do this fundraiser at the mall, we don't think we would do it again.  We would do a treadmill fundraiser somewhere that didn't require insurance though, it definitely attracted attention to us and to our cause.  And it made it more fun for us as well!

Pam L, Pam N, Lauren, and I at the mall fundraiser!

So what crafts have we crafty chicks come up with to sell this year you ask?  Well, Pam L's area of expertise is making breast cancer awareness bracelets.  They are gorgeous, sparkly, and bringing in some serious donation money!!  They have truly just taken off!  We liked her design from the get-go; we knew they would sell.  But what we didn't know is that only a few weeks and 1 fundraiser into our sales we would sell out and need to order more supplies already!  And that before the shipment has even arrived, we have so many people that have put in an order we have to order a 2nd shipment!!!  This is amazing!  And Lauren I'm learning has always made crafts, so this is nothing new to her.  She is our t-shirt maker this year!  We were able to get 30 pink t-shirts donated, and she adds the designs/sayings to them.  So far she has made team shirts that have "Me and The Girls" on them, "Save 2nd Base" shirts, and "Treasure Your Chest" shirts.  And we can sell them for relatively inexpensive prices, since it doesn't cost much at all for her to make them!  It's a wonderful fundraiser!  And what, you ask, is my craft?  I make pink ribbon clips and black headbands with little pink ribbons on them.  The pink ribbon clips are nice and inexpensive, and the headbands I've just started making so we don't know how well they will be received yet, though my team mates and I love them and have each purchased one already!  And we have finally made a bank account so that we can split all our fundraising money easier, since people can just make out checks to Me and The Girls now.  Really happy about all we have going for us right now!!!

Our beautiful pink table at our fundraiser at the mall!

So now for the month of April we still have a dine out night at Texas Road House, a bake sale in front of Smokey's Restaurant, and 2 other fundraisers where we get a table to sell our crafty chick stuff.  I am hoping to be done with my fundraising by the end of the month!!!  Woohoo!  Then all I have to worry about (and I'm not all that worried anymore) is getting the minimums for my team mates!  Yay go Team Me and The Girls!!!

The Great Pink Hair Challenge of 2011...the conclusion...

I know I know.  I've been slacking.  But at least know that I am doing so much I just haven't had a chance to write!  So I'm not slacking in everything, just not balancing it out as well these past few weeks...

So what happened in your pink hair challenge this year you ask?  Well here's how it went:  (read the Feb. blog about the Pink Hair Challenge if you haven't yet to know what I'm talking about!)

Me in my wig!!!

I was able to get a short blond wig from my mom, who kept one of the one's she used while she was going through chemo for "just in case."  Now, while a part of me wanted to scream "no more just in case!!!" at her, the other part of me was really happy, since getting a wig that I could wear to work over my "illegal" pink hair was obstacle #1 for me if I wanted to get permanent pink highlights.

Next, there was a woman that saw what I wanted to do and what I needed on my team page on facebook.  She  works at a salon in town and came to me, writing to me on facebook that she would be willing to do the pink highlights for me, and she would ask the salon owner if she would be willing to donate the hair dye!  I was blown away by her generosity, seeing that we didn't even know each other!  She wrote back to me in a few days time and told me her salon, The Aura Salon and Spa would definitely be willing to donate the whole package for my pink hair challenge.  What a wonderful thing; I am always amazed anew at the generous spirit that people have.  Just another wonderful thing you learn when you experience the 3 Day for the Cure!

And lastly, I had to convince my husband.  This wasn't too hard, since he told me last year when I did the wash out streaks in my hair with the Streekers dye that he actually kind of like my pink hair.  So he was ok with them being permanent highlights.

So it all came together 2 weeks before the challenge was to begin, and I put out my "Great Hair Challenge of 2011...plus an upgrade!" letter via email and facebook, "selling" each streak for a $35 or more donation, and it would run for 3 weeks.  Then at the end of 3 weeks I would tally up how many streaks I had, and if I made it over my $1000 milestone I would make them permanent highlights this year, instead of using the washout dye.  I actually immediately received a donation for my first pink streak!  That was a terrific start!!  And so when the start date of my challenge arrived, I had 3 streaks already "purchased" in my hair.  Yay!!!

Week one was a little bit of a disappointment, and I was a little worried because at the end of this week I still only had 3 pink streaks purchased.  But by week 2 things picked up... a lot!  I also made a special deal with an old friend who it sadly turns out is currently battling ovarian cancer.  She told me she would purchase a streak in my hair, but would I make one a teal (teal is the ovarian cancer ribbon color) streak for her?  So I immediately asked Casey from the salon if teal was an option.  She told me yes, so then I made the deal, that if I got over my $1000 milestone (I hadn't yet) I would make one teal for her!   And at the beginning of week 3, I had done it.  I had reached my $1000 milestone and it was official, I would make them permanent!!  Woohoo!

By the end of week 3, I had 13 pink and 1 teal streak "purchased" in my hair, and I had raised over $900 with my pink hair challenge.  I was elated!!  But also nervous, I really did have to make my hair pink and teal, permanently, and wear a wig to work for 3 12 hr shifts per week...

So I took a team mate for moral support and went to the Aura Salon and Spa to meet Casey and get my highlights.  I was blown away once again.  First she dyed all of my blond hair a medium brown and put in light blond highlights.  She said this would really make the pink stand out.  Then she put in the teal and pink highlights over the blond highlighted pieces.  This wonderful woman worked for 3 1/2 hrs on making my hair a masterpiece, all for free!!  And I can't thank her enough, it's absolutely gorgeous!!!!  I wish very much that I could have my hair like this permanently.  She did a phenomenal job.  Now I just have to take care of my hair as much as possible, to make them last as long as I can.  Casey even offered to help by touching it up once for me to help keep them just a few weeks longer!  And I wore my wig to work for the first time yesterday, and boy did I get a lot of comments and giggles and stares!!  It really got people talking!

Me and my beautiful new hair!!!

So that is the conclusion of my pink hair challenge.  Was it worth it?  Definite yes.  Will I do it again next year?  Absolutely.  Now I have 1 year to come up with a different twist for 2012...

Dedication, Motivation, Inspiration

Wow, how quickly things change...  And isn't it wonderful?

I am feeling less nervous and more optimistic about raising so much money this year.  My wonderful team mates have everything to do with that!  They have been just as crazy hardworking as I have been, if not even more!  I apologize for any doubts I had before.  How could we fail when we are so committed to doing everything it takes to raise the money we need to walk?

The answer is we can't, and we won't.

So I have been thinking myself too important, and I have been rightfully put in my place, and humbled.  My team mates do NOT need someone to hold their hand and do things for them.  They do not need me that way, and I feel bad that I ever thought otherwise.  I am relieved and grateful for this revelation!!!!

3 words to describe team Me and the Girls this year?  Dedication, Motivation, Inspiration.

Dedication:  I am now no longer the only person seemingly obsessed with finding ways to raise money!  LOL!  It is now a group obsession.  I have found kindred spirits here, and we are all up working till 1 am!  With this sort of dedication we will have every dime we need to walk.

Motivation:  If we weren't as motivated before, a taste of success at receiving items donated for our silent auction in June has truly lit a fire!  It may be that we receive a 100 no's for every yes, but that yes sparks us to try 500 more places!!!

Inspiration:  And with team mates like these, I don't need to look deep inside myself for motivation to keep asking asking asking.  I only need to turn my head and  look to my friends working just as hard beside me.  This is easy, this is priceless. Having team mates working this hard beside me is a wonderful gift.  I want to keep working this hard for us, if only to keep up with how hard they are working too!

And training?  They are already doing 5-6 mile walks on their own.  I have no worries here either!  We walked together for the 1st time this past weekend, and it was a wonderful 5 miles.

So thank you team mates.  And I apologize for doubting.  Failing is not an option that will cross my mind again!!!!  You're the best!!!