Understand that I am by no means happy with the fuss that the Komen foundation created for themselves earlier this year.
And I wish I could come up with some other way to do this without having monies that are donated go to a foundation with whom I can no longer see directly eye to eye.

But I don’t have the organizational skills to do this safely on my own, and there really is no other commercial organization that has an event that will allow me to do this.

And so I walk.

I walk because I can.

I’m walking this year because I had a cousin who was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 44 in January 2011 and who died just a few days after her 45th birthday in November 2011. Cheryl left two kids under 10, a husband who adored her, and sisters, parents, aunties, uncles, and cousins who will miss her.
I’ve been distant from that side of my family for a time, mostly because over the years the family gatherings have either interfered with my work schedule or have interfered with my “recovering from work” schedule and I just haven’t been able to go.
I’m walking as a tribute to my cousin and to let the world know that even though I don’t see them often that I still care deeply for that part of my family.

I’m walking this year because I first walked in August 2002. I was 34 years old and I’d never really done anything that physically challenging in my entire life. I walked August 8,9, and 10 little knowing that my father’s mother was in the last days of her life. Grams went on comfort care on the evening of August 7, 2002 and died about 12 hours short of her 90th birthday on the afternoon of the 10th. I was in the medical tent at lunch trying to figure out whether or not my toes would really fall off if I took my shoes off to change my socks.
I’m walking as a tribute to my grandmother who was a smart, tough, loving lady who was quiet and ladylike, but who was an energetic supporter of her family and would have loved hearing me tell about the adventure that is the 3 Day.

I’m walking this year because my sister and I were best friends when we were little. Over the years we’ve grown apart somewhat and our relationship has been kind of stuck. Kathryn and Cheryl were great friends when we were younger and Kathryn wants to walk to memorialize our cousin as well.
I’m walking because I want to take some time with my sister to reconnect, to talk, and to spend some time as adult women in a cooperative effort that we will both enjoy.

I’m walking this year because Andrew’s Gramma Kay was a 25 year breast cancer survivor when she died in 2007. And there’s my mother-in-law, three sisters-in-law, cousins, nieces, nephews…..
I’m walking because I don’t want any of them to have to be breast cancer survivors.

I’m not happy with the Komen foundation, but this year I’m going to walk because it’s something I can do.

I stand with Planned Parenthood. *I* walk for us all.