3 Days......For The Rest of My Life: The Begining

I am a Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk for the Cure walker and I will be for the rest of my life. I have never participated in a fundraising event that gave to me way more than the money I was able to raise for the cause. I am a better person for having done it. I witnessed some amazing examples of humanity, love and strength and that made me want to be a better person. I met some pretty awesome women and men and for 3 days, gender did not matter and race was unimportant. The only color we saw was Pink and the cause was defeating cancer. We were going to do it, one step at a time.

My 3-Day journey started long before I took my first step. A very good friend of mine that plays softball, Julie Mcknight, is a breast cancer survivor…..the first one I have ever known, at least I thought. Julie is pretty much a joy to know. When you meet her, you know that you are in the presence of a truly blessed soul. She had been diagnosed with breast cancer long before I ever met her and the person she is today may be the result of her re-evaluation of things since her diagnoses and survival. Whatever the case, she is awesome. It’s impossible to be around her and not want to hug her…..or have a conversation with her, no matter how brief. When she talks to you, she makes you feel like you are the most important person in the room. I love that about her.

In 2009, Julie invited me to join her team to walk in the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3-Day and I was not sure I could do it……she assured me that I could and I did. That walk lit a fire in my soul that made me promise to stay as involved as I can in the fight against breast cancer. Thank you, Julie.

In 2010, my very close friend, Barbie Humphrey, was diagnosed with breast cancer. For Real? Breast cancer has struck close to home, yet again, and I just can’t believe it. In Barbie’s case, cancer came with a vengeance. It was almost like cancer had a personal vendetta with Barbie…..a score to settle, as if it has to meet a quota and needed to add Barbie’s name to the ever growing list of victims. The most radical of procedures were needed to save her life and today, she’s a survivor. I was so inspired by her strength that I wanted to start a team of walkers to show our support of the lady we loved so much.

The team consisted of me, Barbie, Ryan and Brandon. We were already pretty close, this walk was going to test us and pull us together as individuals and as friends. I have known each of them for several years, but it was only over the last couple of years that I have really felt like I have gotten to see what they are really made of and it made taking this journey with them all the better. Ryan, who is funny with, in my opinion, a child like naiveté’ that is refreshing to be around, was very quick to say yes at the chance to walk 60 miles for our friend…..hell, Ryan would walk 60, 000 miles if it meant that someone would not have to suffer through what Barbie did.

Brandon…..my little Dove……was just a quick to say yes. It made so much sense for him to be there with us, not just because he loves Barbie as much as the rest of us……Brandon is one of those people that are good to the core of their being. All people are inherently good; Brandon takes that goodness to another level. He doesn’t do anything out of the ordinary to show he’s a good person, but his heart and soul radiate so much love, it’s addictive.

Then, of course, there’s Barbie. I spoke about here in a previous post so I will just say this about her; up until she was diagnosed with breast cancer, it was clear that she was a woman that cared about her friends and family and would give anything to make sure that they were all taken care of. Her diagnoses did not hurt her one bit; in fact, it brought out the best in a woman I didn’t think could get much better. This cancer was getting ready to tear her apart and all she cared about was her employees, friends and family. It was time for us to take care of her.

After “B” was better and she was now officially cancer free, it was time to kick cancers ass again and say “NO, I will not go silently into the night…”