Thursday, December 21, 2006

Cancer Vixen

From Random House:

“What happens when a shoe-crazy, lipstick-obsessed, wine-swilling, pasta-slurping, fashion-fanatic, single-forever, about-to-get-married big-city girl cartoonist with a fabulous life finds . . . a lump in her breast?” That’s the question that sets this powerful, funny, and poignant graphic memoir in motion. In vivid color and with a taboo-breaking sense of humor, Marisa Acocella Marchetto tells the story of her eleven-month, ultimately triumphant bout with breast cancer—from diagnosis to cure, and every challenging step in between.



But Cancer Vixen is about more than surviving an illness. It is a portrait of one woman’s supercharged life in Manhattan, and a wonderful love story. Marisa, self-described “terminal bachelorette,” meets her Prince Charming in Silvano, owner of the chic downtown restaurant Da Silvano. Three weeks before their wedding, she receives her diagnosis. She wonders: How will he react to this news? How will my world change? Will I even survive? And . . . what about my hair?

From raucous New Yorker staff lunches and the star-studded crowd at Silvano’s restaurant to the rainbow pumps Marisa wears to chemotherapy, Cancer Vixen is a total original. Marisa’s wit and courage are an inspiration—she’s a cancer vixen, not its victim.

Vist http://www.cancervixen.com

Mammograms

The statistics are sobering: Breast cancer strikes 1 in 8 American women.

But breast x-rays, or mammograms, drastically improve a woman's chance of surviving the disease, says Shaparak Kamarei, M.D., USC associate clinical professor of internal medicine.

"A mammogram is the best tool available for finding breast cancer early, before symptoms appear," says Kamarei. "Breast cancer is asymptomatic for years."

There are two kinds of mammograms: screening and diagnostic, she explains. Screening mammograms detect breast changes in women who have no signs of cancer. Diagnostic mammograms evaluate unusual breast changes, such as a lump, pain, nipple thickening or discharge or a change in the breast size or shape.

During the mammography, the breast is placed between two flat plastic plates, which are pressed together. The idea is to flatten the breast as much as possible; spreading the tissue makes any abnormalities easier to spot using with minimal radiation, Kamarei explains.

Although the pressure from the plates may be uncomfortable, each x-ray takes less than a minute. You should schedule a mammography just after your period, when your breasts less tender. If you're not longer menstruating, schedule the test at the same time each year.

Kamarei recommends that women get their first mammogram done at age 35. Women between 40 and 50 years of age should get a screening every other year, and women over 50, yearly.

"For all women, risk increases after 50," she adds. By age 60, 1 out of 23 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. This number shoots up to 1 out of 10 by age 80.

Most states have laws requiring health insurance companies to reimburse all or part of the cost of mammograms.

"If the insurance policy doesn't cover it, I strongly advise women to pay for it themselves," she says. Most screening mammograms cost between $50 and $150 and are offered without cost in some clinics.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer 2006 - A Record Breaking Season


This year’s Avon Walk for Breast Cancer was a tremendous success with the highest number of participants and greatest funds raised since its inception in 2003. Record-breaking events included the Avon Walk Chicago, which raised $8.2 million, and the Avon Walk New York, where more than 3,500 participants raised over $9.7 million. The New York Walk was the largest to date and among the special guests were breast cancer survivors from nearly 40 countries who represented the second annual Avon Walk Around the World for Breast Cancer.

Here are the 2006 results:

Walks were held in 8 cities April-October
18,000 walkers and crew participated
$48 million was raised
Donations and participation were up 32% from 2005
59 new research and access to care grants were presented at closing ceremonies
Total funds raised since 2003 by the Avon Walk series is nearly $150 million and total participants were 55,000.

Help set new records during our eight events in 2007. Visit http://www.avonwalk.org/ or call 1-800-510-WALK to register to walk, crew, volunteer or donate.

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Shopping Pink from the Wall Street Journal



How to tell if a pink-ribbon product really helps breast cancer efforts
Tuesday, October 10, 2006

By Tara Parker-Pope, The Wall Street Journal


Store shelves are filling up with pink products tied to October's Breast Cancer Awareness month, but shoppers need to do their homework to be sure their green is really going to the right cause.

There is a seemingly endless variety of pink products on offer these days. The options range from food items -- pink M&Ms and Tic Tacs are popular -- to home appliances such as a pink KitchenAid mixer or a pink Dyson vacuum cleaner. Many products also carry the ubiquitous pink-ribbon logo that has become a universal symbol of breast-cancer awareness. Shoppers can choose from pink-ribbon slippers, towels, bedding, pajamas and jewelry, among other items.

But buyers need to look beyond the pink to be sure a product supports a legitimate breast-cancer group. Anybody can use the pink-ribbon logo, so it's important to read tags, boxes and fine print to find out what group is being supported and how much money it is getting from your purchase. Sometimes the money goes directly to breast-cancer research, while other purchases may support free mammograms for low-income women or simply "breast-cancer awareness."

Most major breast-cancer groups have strict requirements for disclosing how much of a pink product goes to charity. Consumers should look for labels and boxes that state what organization benefits and how much of the purchase price goes to it. Some products give only a vague description, promising that a "portion" of the proceeds supports breast-cancer research.

"Our rule is that a company must disclose whatever their donation is -- if they aren't willing to disclose it, they won't be accepted as a partner," says Robbie Finke, director of marketing for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, which lists all its pink products and the contribution on its Web site, www.bcrfcure.org. Some pink purchases clearly go further than others. Each sale of $60 Karey Kyle Rose Quartz earrings generates $40, or 67 percent of the purchase price, for the group BreastCancer.org. Spend $1,950 on a Van Cleef & Arpels pendant, and $1,000, or 51 percent of the price, goes to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. KitchenAid offers a variety of Cook for the Cure products that benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation (www.komen.org). The company donates $50, or about 17 percent of the purchase price, from sales of its pink Artisan Stand Mixer. Meanwhile, 50 cents from the purchase of a $13 pair of pink-ribbon Meshmellows slippers -- or about 4 percent of the purchase price -- goes to the National Breast Cancer Foundation (www.nationalbreastcancer.org).

Sometimes simply buying a pink product doesn't guarantee money will be given to breast-cancer causes. The shopper has to take an extra step, such as mailing in product lids or labels or registering online to generate income for charity. For instance, Yoplait products with pink lids support the Komen Foundation -- but only if you mail them in. Specially marked bags of Sun Chips carry a pink ribbon, but the 25-cent-per-bag donation to Komen is triggered only when the shopper goes to a Web site and enters a special code. Viva paper towels will donate $100,000 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, but if shoppers redeem a special coupon the company will donate an additional 10 cents, up to a total $200,000 donation.

Shoppers also need to decide what type of breast-cancer projects they support, because groups with pink products have different missions. The best way is to check a group's Web site. The Breast Cancer Research Foundation last year spent 89 percent of the $27 million it raised on research grants for breast-cancer prevention and treatment. The Komen Foundation spends most of its funds on breast-cancer education, awareness and community programs, such as free mammograms, but allocates about 40 percent to breast-cancer research. Products that support Breastcancer.org help support the group's mission to provide women the most up-to-date medical information about breast cancer. Products like a pink Gund plush bear support LIFE, which stands for LPGA Pros in the Fight to Eradicate breast cancer, a group that focuses on education and awareness about the risks of breast cancer to young women. Meanwhile, CancerCare, which receives support from the sale of pink Tic Tacs and pink Women for Hope bracelets (www.womenforhope.com), uses money it raises for support services for people affected by cancer.

Last year, pink products accounted for $35 million of the Komen Foundation's $200 million in annual revenue. Cindy Schneible, vice president of resource development for Komen, says the pink products do more than raise money for research -- they also raise awareness among people who might not otherwise think about breast cancer. "Our mission is to engage people where they live, work and play," says Ms. Schneible.

Gifts that Make A Difference




Warriors in Pink - The Ford Foundation

Deanna Favre - Hope Foundation

Cook for a Cure - KitchenAid

Avon Walk Shop

Komen Market Place

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Eighteen Degrees



This morning's walk was quite cold! I walked to road around the neighborhood at 18 degrees and with a brisk northern wind. The walk took a little over an hour, but it seemed to go much more quickly!

I have been trying to keep in shape since the walk last June. In August I started a training program called Couch to 5K. It is a 9 week training program for running a 5k - and since I have never run before, it has been a good start. I am going much more slowly than the 9 week program. I am at week 7 and running 2.5 miles 3 times a week.

My sister just started her Couch to 5K program. Hopefully we can do a run together (with Charlie the dog who is also in training) in the spring.

I am also trying to keep up some distant walking, so I do a walk around the neighborhood once a week.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Mom's Cancer


From Publishers Weekly
Don't let the title put you off: collecting the Eisner Award–winning Web comic of the same name, this story is more about how a life-altering event affects an entire family than another Lifetime disease-of-the-week story. When freelance writer Fies finds out his mother has both lung cancer and a brain tumor, her attempts to fight the disease—including rounds of radiation and chemotherapy—pull her entire family into the struggle. Fies is gentle but honest in telling his story. He refrains from painting his mother as a saint, depicting her instead as someone getting through a horrible situation by refusing to acknowledge just how bad it is. Nor does he shy away from the more complicated emotions his mother's health generates, including a sometimes heated rivalry with his two sisters (knowledgeable "Nurse Sis" and empathetic "Kid Sis"). Fies is most compelling when he finds insight in small details unique to his mother's experience, such as the strength she draws from a leather purse her father made while confined in a tuberculosis sanitarium. The clean, simple comic-strip quality of Fies's art fits the story perfectly, highlighting the gravity of the situation while cutting away undue sentimentality. Mom's Cancer is a quiet, courageous account of one family's response to a universal situation. (Apr.)

Monday, October 30, 2006

JM's Story




I wasn't really sure how the day would turn out, but I had made a promise to two of my best friends and I knew that I was going to give it my best no matter what. I really wondered about my sanity as the alarm went off at 3:30 that morning, but I showered, packed up, grabbed the dog and a bag of dog treats, remembered the blanket and took a book just in case. I was about to go to the Avon Walk to cheer on my friends as they walked 39 miles for the great cause of breast cancer awareness.

I arrived in the dark of morning, and knew immediately I had made the right choice when I saw Val and Joel in the early gloom in the parking lot. Val looked great, ready to walk, and Joel was already busy with his crew duties. I signed up, grabbed my cool blue t-shirt that said VOLUNTEER, and quickly helped with the breakfast duties. I found that there were so many volunteers I didn't have much to do before I was done. Susan and Sean materialized, and the little walking team was in place.

I drank coffee and watched as all the walkers gathered. It was one of the most amazing things, to stand there in the early morning grass and see all of these people accumulate with one purpose in mind. To walk 39 miles in the space of two days.

I said good-bye and good luck to Val, Susan and Sean. With my pom-poms, I stood in line with some other volunteers and we formed a cheering section as the group headed off. The motorcycle brigade fired up their bikes as the walk started, and I was astounded that the sound made tears well up in my eyes.

After cheering the starting line, I ran back to my car where the dog was waiting patiently. We drove along the route to a cheering station. I stood there and waved and cheered as walkers passed by, and I looked excitedly for the team I knew. Sure enough, here they came. Butch the dog and I cheered and smiled, and after they passed, dashed to the car for the next cheering station. I did this all day, never tiring of the game. Chase the walkers! Cheer them on!

The day got warm and long for me - I can only imagine how the walkers felt. But not once did my heart stop feeling for everyone involved in this huge event. Not once was I bored or wishing I was doing something else. This was a day for the books - top five for sure!

At the finish line that evening, it was especially emotional as I watched the walkers climb the last long hill. Many looked exhausted but every single one of them had a smile to some degree and that amazing sense of accomplishment.

I did not stay for the evening ceremonies and so missed the Great Rain Storm, but I was back the next morning with my dog and my cheering voice. I chased the walkers, and some by now knew the dog and always stopped to say "hi" as they passed by and give him a quick pet.

At the finish line that afternoon, things were, amazingly, even more emotional than the day before. This was the Big Finish with all the pomp and circumstance it deserved. To see all the pink t-shirts of the walkers there at the end was like a sea of pink. Absolutely beautiful.

No, I did not walk.
No, I did not crew.
Yes, I volunteered.
Yes, it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.

And yes, I will be back to volunteer next year. Back to chase the walkers and cheer them on, to run about the city and go places I've never been before, all in the name of supporting my friends and a worthy cause. I wasn't sure how it would all turn out, and I was initially feeling a little less than worthy because I wasn't actually walking.
However, in the end, volunteering was immensely gratifying to my soul and spirit. If I can help in my own little way, then I will. I will be back for the walk in Denver 2007.

Sunday, October 29, 2006

Last walk of the Year


The last Avon Walk of 2006 was held last weekend in Charlotte, NC.

Here is a story from the Charlotte Observer.


Posted on Sun, Oct. 22, 2006

AVON WALK FOR BREAST CANCER
Making strides to save lives
Charlotte event raises $1.6 million to help find new cures, improve care
KATY STAFFORD
kstafford@charlotteobserver.com

Jinx Vidrine came all the way from Louisiana to participate in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in Charlotte this weekend. It's the fifth race she's walked in since she was diagnosed with breast cancer 15 years ago.

But the walk this year was different.

Vidrine lost her home in Hurricane Katrina last fall, and the 56-year-old is still living in a FEMA trailer in Louisiana. For her, the walk as a way to "refill her soul."

"Everyone needs to know that because of these walks, doctors are finding new cures," Vidrine said. "I am on a new drug that didn't even exist when I was diagnosed. I'm alive, and I represent hope."

About 800 people walked in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Charlotte this weekend, raising $1.6 million.

The Charlotte event is the last in a series of walks held across the country this year that has raised more than $41 million. The money will go to local and national breast cancer organizations to advance access to care and to find a cure, with a focus on the medically underserved.

The closing ceremony will be today at Memorial Stadium, where the Avon Foundation will award four grants to local organizations totaling $750,000: Carolinas Medical Center, Presbyterian Cancer Center, Palmetto Health Foundation in Columbia, and N.C. Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem.

Each walker raised a minimum of $1,800 in donations. Participants had the choice of walking 26.2 miles or 39.3 miles over Saturday and today.

The American Cancer Society estimates more than 200,000 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2006, including 6,290 women in North Carolina and 3,170 in South Carolina. About 41,000 women will die from the disease in 2006.

Dana's Sister


My thoughts are with you and your entire family.

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Walk with Us! Sole Sisters!


Susan and I have committed to walking again in 2007, and we have formed a team in Denver - Sole Sisters!

Please seriously consider walking with us. Walking with people you know makes the 39 miles fly by. Really, it does! And how often in this busy world do you get to work in a positive team environment, in a situation where success is inevitable, where you can celebrate the beginning and celebrate the ending of a job well done? Well here is your chance!

To sign up, visit the Avon Walk Website. In the middle of the page there is a giant pink box. Select DENVER (or any other city you want to walk in, but we will be in Denver). Then click on REGISTER AND JOIN A TEAM. Our team name: SOLE SISTERS.

Crewing is also a huge job and so important to the walkers. Joel crewed last year. It was a lot of work, but he found it really rewarding. The organizers have leaders for each crew team, and your duties are clearly laid out. Crew members work all day, and get to camp with the walkers at night. A lot of work, but the walkers absolutely could not make it without the huge number of crew members. If you crew, you can also join our team - and you will be given a webpage to raise funds. Crew members are not required to raise any money.

If you have any questions about walking or fundraising, send me an email at valnye@gmail.com. I would be happy to answer any questions. My experience from last year is documented in this blog, but I would be happy to expand on my experience (if that is possible). Think about it, and join!

Ribbon Special Shape


While driving through Albuqueruqe on Thursday last week, during the Balloon Fiesta, I happened to see this balloon.


On 4 July 2006 this flying ribbon made his first flight in Torres (Brazil). The balloon is manufactured by Amazon Balloons and will be piloted by Randy Oates from Air America. With a volume of 3100 m³ this balloon can carry pilot + 3 passengers.

Monday, October 09, 2006

New York City


Walkers in New York raised $9.6 million in the Avon Walk this past weekend.

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Avon Walk Again in 2007!

After thinking a lot about the 2007 walk, and talking with Susan, I have decided to walk again next June in Denver. My reasons for walking again weigh heavily on my mind.

The number one reason I am walking again is to raise money for women who desperately need support when diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast cancer is not necessarily a fatal illness. If caught early and treated properly, survival is highly possible and likely. Women without insurance or underinsured may not get the treatment they need when they need it most. It is at this point that the Avon Foundation can step in and provide valuable funding and services to help women and their families.

Awareness is another important reason to walk. If noticed and treated early, breast cancer can be beat in many situations. Awareness=survival.

Another reason I am walking is for my friends and family who have had cancer touch their lives. I am walking in support and love for them and all they have experienced and will experience.

I am also walking for myself, as a commitment to remain healthy and active.

I also want to celebrate health and friendship in 2007 - and I want to encourage you to walk with us. Susan and I are forming a team now, and I will have information about our team up shortly. We don't have a name yet, so join the team and help us come up with a team name!

If walking isn't your thing, consider crewing or volunteering. Crew members and volunteers make the walk possible. As a walker, the volunteers along the way were the kindest people, paving the way and making the 40 miles fly by quickly.

There are lots of ways to participate and change lives!

Training, fundraising, and walking are all hard work, but the reward is great!

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Prayers to Beth and her Family



Harper, Eileen "Micki"
MADISON - Eileen "Micki" Harper died of multiple myeloma on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2006, at the Ellen and Peter Johnson HospiceCare Residence. Micki was born in Oklahoma City, to Eileen (Kelly) and Ray J. Riordan. She grew up in La Crescent, Minn. and Madison, graduating from Blessed Sacrament Grade School, in 1956 and from Edgewood High School, in 1960. She earned a B.A. in history from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 1964. She attended secretarial school in Chicago for a year, then returned to Madison and worked for General Telephone Company from 1965 to 1968.

On June 29, 1968, she married Richard M. "Dick" Harper. She and Dick lived in Whitewater for several years before moving to Madison. She worked for the Wisconsin State Telephone Association from 1975 to 2000, coordinating conventions and managing human resources. She served on the Board of Directors for Nsight Telservices, Northeast Telephone Company, and Cellcom from 1984 until the time of her death.

Micki was active in local anti-abortion organizations throughout her life, serving as president of the local chapter of Wisconsin Citizens Concerned for Life in the early 1970s, and as president of the Dane County chapter of Wisconsin Right to Life at the time of her death. She was also an active member of Blessed Sacrament Parish for more than 30 years, serving terms as president of its Rosary Altar Society and as secretary of its Parish Council among other volunteer activities.

She is survived by her daughter, Elizabeth of Madison; son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Mara, granddaughter, Claire Harper, and an unborn grandchild due in February, of Savage, Minn.; brothers and sisters-in-law, Ray J. Riordan and Phyllis Riordan of Monona, Patrick D. and Karen V. Riordan of Dyckesville, Wis., and Robert H. and Cathy Riordan of Green Bay; nieces Brighid, Colleen, Kate, Kelly, Maria, Maureen, and Meghan Riordan and Phyllis (Eric) Gaukel; nephews, P. Daniel, Ray J., Robert and Timothy Riordan, and Philip, Nicholas, Andrew and Alexander Ribeiro; grandnephews and grandnieces, Owen, Finn and Charlotte; cousins, Ann (Pat) Colbert, Jim (Donna) Deuster and Paul (Lien) Deuster; and many other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dick; her parents; and her sister-in-law, Kathleen Riordan.

In addition to her family and friends, Micki loved sharing stories; her cats, Tommy and Tuppence; reading, especially mysteries (she could recommend a mystery to match anyone's interests, and loved spending time at the mystery bookstore Booked for Murder); and doing crossword and jigsaw puzzles. She was a great listener, a loyal friend, and loving wife, mother, grandmother, and sister. We'll miss her wit, infectious laugh, unconditional support and encouragement, warmth, sensible advice, empathy, and thoughtfulness.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 2131 Rowley Ave., Madison, on Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2006, at 11 a.m. Friends may call from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the JOYCE-RYAN FUNERAL HOME, 5071 Odana Rd, Madison, on Monday, Sept. 18, 2006, and from 10 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept 19, 2006, at the church. Memorials may be made to Wisconsin Right to Life-Dane County Education Fund, Blessed Sacrament School Endowment Fund or the Wisconsin State Telecommunications Foundation. Joyce-Ryan Funeral Home and Cremation Services 5701 Odana Road (608) 274-1000 www.ryanfuneralservice.com

Los Angeles



Walkers in Los Angeles walked this past weekend and raised over $3.6 million!

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Albuquerque AIDS Walk

The AIDS Walk in Albuquerque went very well, and Team Kenny Vance raised $525! Thank you for your donations. The walker turnout for this walk was smaller than previous years, but organizers say the funding met their expectations. Thank you for helping to make a difference for people living in Albuquerque with AIDS.

Below is a picture of mom, Brenda, and Charlie. Charlie was the star of the show! Many people came up to us and wanted to know what kind of dog Charlie was. And he was a good walker. He walke almost the whole way!



Here is another dog on the walk.



We were near the end of the walking pack. Brenda had stopped to help a dog that was dehydrated. This is a picture of all the walkers going west on Central.

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Last Year's AIDS Walk

Here are some photos from last year's walk in Albuquerque. Last year the walk started at UNM, went east on Central, and then turned back and ended UNM.


Walking for AIDS


Every year my sister, Brenda, and I do one AIDS walk. We walk for my Uncle Ken who died in 1988. This year the Albuquerque AIDS walk is on September 9th. One of the great things about the walk (if you don't have a dog) you can adopt a dog just for the walk. It is very exciting for dog lovers who don't have dogs! So think about joining us. Our team page is on this website:
http://www.active.com/donate/AWABQ2006/BNye2

This walk is a very short walk - a 5k (3 miles). We would love to have you join us!

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

End of Donations


I believe the final matching donation for the Avon walk has come in. With your generous help, we are donating $2585 to help people in very personal and life change ways! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Hiking - a great idea!

Here is an article I got in my email today. Anyone want to join me!

Hikers raising cancer awareness along trail

NORTH ADAMS — Two hikers popped off the Appalachian Trail and into the city Tuesday on a journey to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
Cousins Chad "Stretch" Anderson, 22, and Daane "Goat" DeBoer, 20, both of Grand Rapids, Mich., wore scraggly beards and T-shirts advertising the cause they titled "Hike for the cure."

"Four years ago, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer," Anderson said, "I saw her go through chemotherapy and radiation. I saw the pain and trial she went through and also the trial on me and my family. I don't want to see anyone else go through that."

Anderson said he felt helpless during his mother's illness and recovery process. He shaved his head in sympathy with his mother when she went through chemotherapy, but that was only a first step.

Now, he is taking four months to complete the 2,174-mile trail in order to increase breast cancer awareness.

To read the rest of the article visit this link.

Monday, July 17, 2006

News from San Francisco!


Over 2300 people walked in San Francisco on July 8th and 9th and raised over $5.4 million! To read how a portion the San Francisco funds will be spent, visit this web site.

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Healthy Weight Important

It is increasingly clear that maintaining a healthy weight throughout adulthood is one of the best things women can do to protect themselves against breast cancer.

Findings from a study involving more than 87,000 female nurses show that weight gain during adulthood is a strong risk factor for breast cancer. Researchers also found that weight loss after menopause helped lower breast cancer risk.

Gaining 55 pounds or more after age 18 was associated with a 45% increase in breast cancer risk after menopause over women who maintained a healthy weight throughout their 20s, 30s, and 40s.

To read the entire article visit: http://www.webmd.com/content/article/124/115751.htm

Saturday, July 01, 2006

Lunch Stop First Day


Photo from the Multiply Website.

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

The Walk - The Long Version (the short version is the next post)

SATURDAY MORNING

Joel and I woke up at 3:45 on Saturday morning. Since Joel was a member of the crew, he had to be at his truck at 4:30. So we arrived at Washington Park in the dark. I was waiting with Joel for the rest of his team when JM appeared out of the darkness, smiling and happy as if she had been up for hours. I was so happy and relived to see her. I knew we would mentally and physically need all of the help we could get over the next two days.



I said goodbye to Joel and walked with JM to the volunteer sign-up tent in the event area of the park. JM was assigned to breakfast set-up, which took all of 5 minutes once she was signed up and ready to go.

JM and I ate breakfast together and Sean and Susan came for breakfast once the sun was up. It was good to see them. After thinking about the walk for months, it felt like everything was falling into place.

We all went to the opening ceremony together. Jackie came to the ceremony. Saturday would have been her sister's birthday and her sister's name was on my walking shirt. It was so great to be with her for the ceremony. It meant so much to have her with us all weekend.

JM, Sean, Susan, and Me.

THE WALK STARTS

The walk started with the end of the opening ceremony. The walk began with a team of motorcycles ahead of us. At first I thought the motorcycles were just part of the noise and excitement of the opening ceremonies – big burly guys wearing pink and carrying stuffed animals and petite women, also in pink, on giant bikes lead the way. These are people we saw over and over throughout the weekend. The motorcycle team directed traffic at nearly every single intersection we crossed. They stopped traffic, directed walkers, played loud music, and cheered us on at every crossroad. They were all so generous. I later found out that a number of them had traveled from California to do this event.

We walked in a fairly tight pack, over 700 of us, until lunch. So it was slow going the first several hours. We walked through some of Denver’s beautiful old neighborhoods in the morning.

Joel at the rest stop

Joel was at quick stop A (which was the second stop). When we got to the stop he looked happy, serving Gatorade, dressed like a pirate (each stop had a theme).

JM and Butch waiting for us at the first cheering station!

Susan and Sean

In the afternoon we walked by some really giant homes. Some of the areas we walked through looked like old farm areas. A quiet and peaceful walk. JM was also following us along the way with Butch. It was like a glass of cold fresh water every time we saw her. I knew we had made another milestone every time I saw them in the distance.

By about 3pm we were all getting really tired. Our conversation nearly came to a stop. Sean was having trouble with one of his feet. It was hot. And near the end of the 26 miles we found ourselves in a fairly new neighborhood in Littleton, with uninteresting homes. It was also at this point that Susan explained that we were going to be spending the night in a park adjacent to Columbine High School. There is even a space at the park that has been set aside for a memorial, because it was the park where all of the people evacuated to during the shootings. This information really dug into my mind, and the oppressive sun began to have a really foreboding feeling.

Sean having his foot bandaged.

MARATHON COMPLETE

Near 5pm we reached the park. Just before we came into the park we passed a woman with hundreds of names on the back of her shirt, her husband had his arm intertwined with her’s. He was physically supporting her the last steps into the park. People were cheering up ahead, we knew we were close!

JM and Jackie were there to welcome us into the park/Wellness Village. Susan and Sean left to find their kids and her parents. We sat down to wait for Joel to come in from the work he was doing at quick stop F.

While we were waiting, I was given a 3-minute ribbon. They are “connection ribbons” that are handed out every 3 minutes at the walk. Each ribbon represents a person who has been diagnosed with breast cancer (a person is diagnosed with invasive breast cancer every 3 minutes). Over 600 were handed out over the weekend.

TENTING IN A PARK

After sitting for a while, I decided to find our tent. JM left and Jackie went to find the tent with me. Boy Scouts were setting up all of the tents – there were hundreds. The tent in our spot was missing so we went to get one from the group setting them up. As we were waiting for the tent, we noticed a really dark storm moving in. Jackie told me to go wait in line for a shower and she would take care of the tent.

I was waiting in line for the showers and there was a lot of discussion about the storm that seemed to be coming our way. There was talk that the showers might have to close because the lightning was hitting so close. At this point – a point of total exhaustion, I just felt like crying. I was so tired and I really wanted a shower! The feeling of exhaustion would soon be burried.

I decided to leave the line of about 30 people because it really seemed like the showers were going to close. When I got to the tent, Jackie had set up everything. The therma rests were out, sleeping bags set up. All so cozy. The wind was picking up, and I suggested that we should get back in the tent so the tent wouldn’t blow away in the wind. So we got in.



Moments later the wind really picked up and the hail began. Not normal wind, not normal hail. Jackie and I were leaning against the edges of the tent, trying to keep it upright, and rain was soaking through the fabric. And every once in a while a giant wind would come up, totally flattening the tent to the ground. Jackie and I just laughed and laughed, it was so frightening and unbelievable there wasn’t anything else to do except laugh. We could hear people screaming outside and we could hear things blowing by us in the wind. The hail was beating down on our hands and heads on the tent, I was sure we were being bruised by the pelting hail. For several moments we thought we were both going to totally be picked up by the wind and carried away. The wind was stunning.



Once it stopped and we opened the door, the tent city destruction was everywhere. Tents were blown all over the landscape; piles of hail were sitting on top of luggage left outside.

The Walk people were amazing. The situation was total chaos. Everything was wet, tents were ruined, torn, broken. Walk workers were rushing around to every tent looking for people and verifying that everyone was ok. Bus service back to Washington Park was arranged for those who wanted to go home or go to a hotel. A lot of our things were wet, but I just felt this was one huge adventure. I was open to anything and everything this weekend – I had nearly no expectations (except that I would finish the walk) and I thought we should stay and just go with the events as they were given to us.

During this time, Joel was dispatched to Invesco Field to pick up boxes of emergency blankets. Before the emergency blankets arrived, the Walk workers had already begun handing out silver thermal blankets to everyone. Everyone was wet and the weather was cold. As blankets were distributed, the Walk workers were continuing to make sure everyone was ok, and were saying “we are still having fun, everything is ok.” The situation was really stressful, yet just hearing someone say we were having fun changed the mood of everything. And they were cheerfully comforting everyone, knowing their sleeping bags were totally soaked and their tents were 100 feet down the field. I have a great deal of respect for the way the workers handled the situation.

Susan and Sean’s tent was tumbled and all of their things got wet, so they went home. Sean was also having continuing problem with his foot, so they planned to not walk on Sunday morning, but come to the closing ceremonies on Sunday afternoon. (After the walk Sean went to the doctor. The doctor said his foot had a "marching stress fracture" caused by walking long distances on a hard surface. Sean walked around 10 miles with the fracture on Saturday). I was going to walk alone, which was ok. I have trained alone, and I wanted to know what it would be like to do the walk alone – because when I originally signed up to do the walk, I was ready to walk without knowing anyone.

A picture I took at dinner after the storm had passed and most of the people had gone home.

I went to the dining tent around 8pm and ate dinner. I got really cold while I was eating and went back to the tent to wait for Joel under the damp sleeping bag.

Joel returned around 9pm and we tried to sleep. Everything was damp, but we were ok. The wind kicked up in the night and there were lots of strange noises against our tent. We both had a short night sleep – getting up at 5am Sunday morning.

SUNDAY MORNING

When we opened the tent door on Sunday morning, we found that tents had continued to roll across the field and had smashed into our tent during the night. A lot of people left after the hail, and there were a lot of empty tents that were picked up by the wind in the night.

Joel was really sick on Sunday morning, but after a bit felt better and headed to set up quick stop A (the second stop – the stops are numbered then lettered 1 – A – 2 – B – ect).

I packed up our gear and took it to the truck for transport. I packed up our tent, and went to breakfast. Everyone had storm stories from the night. I think most people rode out the storm in one of the large tents – not their little tent in the middle of a giant open field. I also found that a lot of people had left for the night and may or may not be finishing the walk. Near the end of the walk I found out that 750 people had actually started the walk on Saturday and around 550 returned on Sunday. I think maybe 100 people or so stayed at the camp over night.

The route opened at 7:30 and I was one of the first people to leave. We walked in a group for the first 2 miles and then things stretched out pretty far. I met Joel at quick stop A, I was feeling great. No real soreness from the 26 miles on Saturday and an unusual amount of energy. I found JM at one of the first cheering stations soon after A. Now that I was walking alone seeing JM was the one thing I was really looking forward to. She became my total mental support system as the day became a bit more difficult.

I should take a moment to explain about the rest stops. At the numbered stops there was lots of snack food, Gatorade, water, and 6-10 port-a-potties. The numbered stops also had a medic area where people can have their feet bandaged, or have someone help them with a health concern they might have developed. About every 2 miles there was either a numbered or alphabetical stop. These were really oasis in the walk – drink and great people cheering us on.

A full rest stop near the begining of the walk.

There were also people on bicycles all along the route on both days, making sure everyone was ok and had water. One guy biked 97 miles on Saturday, riding the route back and forth. The bikers were really stars, cheering us on, talking to us, negotiating foot and car traffic – always happy. Superheroes along the way!

Bike riders and motorcycle riders being honored at the end of the walk.

With the bike riders, the motorcycle traffic directors, the cheering stations, and the rest stops – we rarely ever felt alone (except for the walk between the last rest station and the Wellness Village).

I think I arrived at the lunch stop around 10:30am. I was really tired. I had been walking at a pretty fast pace to the lunch. At the lunch stop I was one of the first 80 people to arrive. I decided to take a long lunch break and I ate a lot hoping it would give me more energy.

When I finished eating I went over to a sidewalk to stretch. I looked up and there was Joel – talking on a phone under a tree! He was still feeling sick and his rest stop crew had sent him to the medical area. After sleeping for a while he was still not feeling well enough to work, so he was trying to figure out how to get back to Washington Park when I found him.

He called JM who was waiting at a cheering station. She came and picked him up and I continued walking.

After lunch the field of walkers was really spread thin. A lot of people were walking by themselves. We would catch up with each other at road crossings, but other than that there wasn’t a lot of talk.

I felt a lot better after lunch, but my pace slowed. I saw Joel and JM at two cheering stations.

On both days, there were a lot of people cheering. There were people who were driving to cheering stations (appointed places for family and friends to cheer). We were almost always walking through neighborhoods, and there were families, little kids, big dogs – all cheering us on. Even days later I can still hear,” GO WALKERS” echoing in my ears even today It was really touching. And people just walking on the paths and sidewalks in their neighborhoods would thank us for walking or would say “congratulations” as we got into the Washington Park neighborhood.

The last miles were through beautiful tree lined streets. As I was coming into the area right next to the park I could hear lots of cheering and yelling for walkers who were entering the park. As the cheering got louder I came to a woman who had a sign on her back that said “I am walking for My Grandma Edna.” I told her I was walking for my grandmother named Edna too. We talked for a while. She seemed really tired and concerned that we were going to have to walk a long distance around the park before finishing. I assured her we were very very close. Moments later we arrived at the cheerers. Volunteers and family and friends were all waiting at the place we started the walk the day before. We finished right about 12:30pm.

Here I am right at the finish!

We walked between two lines of people cheering for all of us, and at the end there was a tent with t-shirts for all of the walkers to wear at the closing ceremony.



JM, Joel, and Butch had staked out a great spot on the lawn under a tree where we sat for the next several hours, talking about our walk experiences and watching all of the walkers come through the finishing point.



CLOSING CEREMONY

Susan, Sean, and the kids and Jackie arrived for the closing ceremony, which was very touching. Breast cancer survivors wore light pink shirts and lead the group in to the ceremony area. All the other walkers and crew followed them into the grounds. A portion of the donations we raised were awarded. It was really thrilling to hear exactly how the money we made will be spent on early detection, research, (and my favorite) to a group called Angel Care – a group in Denver that provides food to families facing breast cancer (very similar to ANGELS in Georgia – that provided food to people with AIDS).

There were stories of survival and stories about why teams and families had walked – to honor someone they know who has survived. After the honors, the giant projection screen was filled with pictures of the faces of people we were walking in memory of. The faces started out big on the screen and as the image backed away there were thousands of tiny faces on the screen (we had the opportunity to send in pictures of people we were walking in memory of). It was heartbreaking and gave a powerful image to the “why” of our weekend and why raising funds and pushing research and finding a cure is so so important.

Closing Ceremonies

The ceremony ended and we all returned to our cars, a bit tired but filled with hope.

Monday, June 26, 2006

Made it!


I have a lot to share - many stories of an unforgetable weekend. We have a funky internet connection at the moment but wanted to get this up. I walked into Washington Park around 12:30 yesterday. We all finished the 26+ mile walk on Saturday, but as you can see Sean has a walking stick in this picture. I will write more about our journey in a few days.

Friday, June 23, 2006

Night Before


We got a bit of a late start into Denver today and we stopped for a lesierly lunch in Raton. This got us into Denver just in time for Friday rush hour. It took us quite a while to get from Castle Rock to downtown, but we made it.

The registration for the walk is this afternoon and tonight at the Adam's Mark hotel. We got in right at 4pm and the registration was super smooth. There were tons of volunteers everywhere and directional signs at every turn. The registration area was filled with computers, loud music, and happy people wearing blue shirts. Since Joel didn't send in his medical form, we had to go to the medical area which they kept telling us via email would be a long wait. There was no wait! From there we went to the regular registration area where we signed up for our tent, got tags for our baggage, and a wrist band with our participant number on it (Joel is upset that the band does not come off).

Joel went to his crew meeting at 5pm and I met JM in the lobby by chance. About 30 minutes later Sean and Susan came to the lobby to check in. It was like we had planned it all along!

After Joel's meeting we went down to the 16th Street Mall to Johnny Rockets where we met up with Jackie (who drove up from Santa Fe today too), her brother-in-law Adam, and her niece Ashley.

Now we are at the hotel at the Tech Center, rearranging our bags and preparing for our 3:45 alarm clock. Joel has to be at the park at 4:30am.

JM is planning to volunteer. It will be so nice to know she is around - and hopefully we will see her at some of the cheering stations. Jackie is coming to the opening ceremonies and hopes to see us at some of the cheering stations.

Joel is driving a van and helping with quick stop stations A and F.

We are going to share a tent, and this means I will be camping in the crew area - so I won't get as much sleep as the other walkers - with the crew getting up very early.

I am excited and nervous. The event itself has been a huge unknown, and now it is right here!

Off to bed to get a few hours of sleep.

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Ready to Go


Joel and I are packing tonight. It is a kind of complicated packing job. We are packing for the walk and a trip to Chicago just following the walk. So we are packing for camping (during the walk). The night that we are "on the road" during the walk, all the participants and crew stay in a tent village. There are 2 people tents, showers, and dinner that night. Below is a picture I found of the village on a website. We don't have to take the tent, but we have to take everything else.



I have gotten so many great emails and gifts of good wishes and support over the past several weeks. The flowers in the post are from Joel's parents. They came on Monday, so I have been able to enjoy them all week during my mental preparation.

So we are ready to hit the road!

I was reading through my material. I thought I was not allowed to have a cell phone at the tent village, but I can use it there - so I will plan to call dad on Saturday night.

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Denver Weather This Weekend

The weather in Denver could be quite interesting this weekend. Currently the forecast is for 87 as a high on Saturday and 79 as a high on Sunday. Both days have isolated thunderstorms. I hope they allow us to walk no matter what the weather is, or no matter how long it takes if we are delayed by weather.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Thoughts and Prayers for Good Health



Janet(my Aunt Pat's friend who has been so supportive of the walk) has had two people close to her diagnosed with breast cancer very recently. Special thoughts and prayers of support go to Penny and Vicky.

Sunday, June 18, 2006

Albuquerque Walk 12 Miles



Saturday morning around 7:15 I left my parents' house on a 12 mile walk. I left the house and walked the ditch banks over the the Nature Center. The ditch banks in the North Valley are one of Albuquerque's best secret beauties. They are shaded cool walking spots. Walking along them you get to peek into the back yards of beautiful and historic homes. The North Valley is also fairly rural - a lot of animals live along the ditch banks. Below are two miniature horses I saw. They are building a neighborhood around the horses' pen, so this was a green patch of a field at the end of a culdesac.

Walking the ditch banks reminds me of walks I use to take with my Grandma Nye and sister when we were small. We would sometimes collect tadpoles and take them home for observation. Then when my parents moved to the North Valley, Brenda introduced me to riding bikes along the ditches. They are nice paths for bikes - flat, wide, and dirt/sand.




You can access the Bosque Trail at the Nature Center, so that is where I got on to the trail. Mile marker 3. The Bosque Trail is paved. The Rio Grande is on the west side of the trail and sometime there are ditches diverting water on the east side of the trail. The section of the trail near the Nature Center reminded me of a walk I took with my mom before I went to library school. We took an early morning walk along the river and saw coyotes running. This was before the Montano Bridge was built. We walked in the area where the bridge now sits and I remember how sad we thought it was that such a beautiful area would soon be destroyed by rushing traffic.

The walk also reminded me of a great bike ride I took on a weekend morning in 1994. It was the balloon fiesta weekend and I rode the trail watching balloons. It was a really quiet trail in those days - hardly any people. It was such a peaceful morning.

This weekend, the trail was very busy. Hundreds of people walking, biking, roller blading. People with dogs, people with dogs riding on their bikes! It was actually a really great walk even with all of the people. Everyone was very polite - very courteous. The trail is so heavily used by bikers, it could be intimidating for walkers, but nearly every biker yelled "on your left" before passing.



I walked down to Paseo Del Norte - mile marker 7.25. The above picture was taken on my way back. In the distance you can see the Sleeping Sisters (old volcanoes). You can also see the river and the anti erosion structure along the river. The Bosque (off the paved trails) is closed right now because of fire danger. There was a fire along the river on Friday and another fire Sunday night. A dangerous time of year.

The pictures below are some images from the ditch bank between Candelaria and Matthew.




This was my last 10+ walk before the big walk next weekend. It was a great peaceful contemplative walk filled with a lot of memories and energy.

Saturday, June 17, 2006

Saturday Walk in the Neighborhood



After a nice giant bowl of oatmeal at the Flying Tortilla I did a 7 mile walk through the neighborhood. It was a good walk. I did the outer loop of the neighborhood and one inner loop. I only passed 2 cars. I didn't see any wild animals - but the flowers are starting to bloom despite the dry conditions.

The picture above is a cactus that is flowering right next to our driveway. This year this type of cactus is flowering exuberantly. They are beautiful, and kind of shocking to see in the distant landscape - a globes of purple where it is usually so brown.



The above flowers are wildflowers I saw both in Santa Fe and Albuquerque this weekend. They are growing by the roadside where they get a little more water from the runoff.



These prehistoric plants grow even in the driest years. They produce gourds - and sometimes (like this year) they are the only real green coming up naturally.