Ok, so I don't. But walking 26+ miles there in two days with thousands of other people was pretty fan-damn-tab-u-lous. It's always nice to truly walk in someone else's shoes, so to be on the receiving end of all the 'stuff' that I dish out - fundraising, blah blah, training, blah blah blah - is always interesting, and sometimes downright humbling. As always, I'm reminded why I'm committed...why I chose to walk this path.
One of the most touching moments, though, was after Closing Ceremonies, I was walking next to a "mom-type" woman. Conversation was somehow initiated by one of us; typical post-walk chatter about feet and blisters. I asked who she was walking for and how she got involved (yes, yes, typical Walker Buddy, staff blather). She kinda smiled, her arm around my waist, my arm around her shoulders, and said she was walking for her daughter, Dawn. Dawn was a 21-month survivor. Dawn had just turned 32.
And it hit me...again. It very well could be me. It hasn't been so far. There's no one in my family - that we know of - that's been diagnosed; we've got every other kind of cancer, though. The statistics say that 85% of women diagnosed this year will have no family history. It could be me. Unfortunately, it's not as rare as it once was to be under 50 and be diagnosed with breast cancer. It could be me. I'm about to turn 30 and I do self-exams and I go to the gyno (ack!) regularly. I'd hate for my mom to walk in my honor.
So there it is guys and dolls. Time to keep going...on with the fundraising...on with awareness. On with trying my damndest to make a difference. Somedays the difference is just in my own head and heart, but that, too, can be just enough.
"Be the change you wish to see in the world." - Ghandi
Thanks for be along for the ride with me...you have no idea how much your love and support means.
Smiles,
Hannah
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