NC Triad Race for the Cure 2008

Race Day was a resounding success. I don't have the final total yet, but I think that our team raised over $3000. It was a little bit chaotic in the beginning, trying to corral 34 people. We had decided to meet at the Team Photo Spot half an hour prior to race time, but parking ended up taking lots of folks (self included) longer than expected, so then we couldn't really linger at the Team Photo Spot too long...we needed to head over to the starting line...but not everyone was there yet...How did we ever manage before cell phones?! I took 13 incoming calls between 7:55 AM and 8:30 AM.

The weather cooperated and so did Andrea's baby...she is due in just a few weeks. A round of applause to her for walking a 5K so close to her due date. But it worked out well; she and my Mom walked together. Heck, at one point, they were even ahead of me.

The runners have one real advantage. They get to the finish line and can enjoy the festivities long before the rest of us. By the time I got to the finish line, I had to whisk myself over to the Survivor Tent to get organized for the Survivor Procession. Oh, but I loved the walk and don't regret doing it at a leisurely pace. Chatting, laughing, just feeling fantastic every step of the way... For several of my friends, participating in a charity race was a new experience, and it was really fun to enjoy the energy of event from their perspective. OK enough gushing and rambling...enjoy the pictures.

At the Starting Line

Getting Ready for the Survivor Procession

Along the Course

Photo Credit: Andrea

After the Race:

Photo Credit: Andrea

Race for the Cure

Our local Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is only a couple of weeks away. I am so excited. This is the third year that I've participated, and the second time that I've been a Team Captain.

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The 2006 race was a watershed event in my cancer journey. I was only two months out from my diagnosis. I had endured one chemo treatment. Because I was unsure how much energy I would have, I only signed up to do the one mile walk. Here is an excerpt from my May 5 2006 post:

Last Friday night, I had my head shaved. Saturday was one of the best days of my life. WHAT? How could this be, you might ask.

Well, on Saturday morning we went to the Susan Komen Race for the Cure. The weather was perfect, and we were quite a large party: my family of six, three survivors from my support groups and their families, and one additional dear friend who came out to support her breast cancer buds.

It was my "coming out" party for being bald. What better venue? I was in lots of good company! And, as a survivor, you receive the royal treatment. You have a bright pink race shirt and hat to differentiate you from the crowd (and quite a crowd it was -9000 participants).

The highlight was a Survivor Procession: you line up behind a sign that groups the women by # of survival years. So my group was "-1" but the groupings went all the way up to "25+" and we all did a little parade / rally to Melissa Etheridge's "Run for Life" song.

Then one of the girls from my support group invited us back to her house for a party. All in all, it was a very empowering, FUN day.

My Mom and me in 2006.

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By 2007 I was feeling pretty good about my life again. All of my treatments were behind me, and all that I had left to do was schedule a final reconstruction surgery (expanders out, implants in). I did that the Monday following the race, so that I wouldn't be sore for Race Day.

I signed up as a Team Captain. It was a cool, rainy day and my emotions got the better of me at the end:

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So here we are in 2008. I have a bigger team and more donations this year. I'm super-excited for the race. And I'm hoping that it will work its magic on me again this year. Cancer continues to wreak havoc upon my loved ones; people that I care about are coping with Stage IV. Fear resides in my heart more often than I like to admit.

Breast cancer is a sneaky, crappy disease. It is biopsies, scans, chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, and a lot of wondering whether or not the treatments are working.

But Race Day is empowering. It offers hope, enthusiasm, and support. It is a day when breast cancer can comfortably commingle with cheering, singing, and celebrating. Bring it on...

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Useful Links:


Susan G. Komen NC Triad Race for the Cure

Find a Race for the Cure Near You

Komen in the Triad

For those of you in the Triad, our local Komen affiliate has launched a new blog.

Race day is coming!! I can't wait.


Edited to add that the race will be on Saturday May 3, 2008 in Winston-Salem, NC. Go to Komen's Triad Affiliate Web Site for details. I will be doing a more detailed post about the race later.

Race for the Cure

It's walking season!!! There are "Race for the Cure" events being held all over the country. We had ours earlier this month.

Last year, I went to the race just a day after having my head shaved. The event saved me from wallowing in sadness.

Forever, it will be a day that I can look back on as a day that turned everything around for me. It was the day that I learned what it can mean to be part of the Survivor community.

There I was last year, with my Mom:




This year, I have cute hair and am on the other side of active treatment but that sure didn't keep me from getting all blubbery at the end:

I don't know if they do this at all Race for the Cure events, but we have a garden. You can buy a tulip and decorate it "in honor of..." or "in memory of..."

My favorite part is The Survivor Procession. You are grouped by the number of years that you've been a Survivor. This year I got to move from underneath the ">1" banner to the "1-5" banner. But the most comfort comes from seeing that there are plenty of folks processing under the "26+" banner. Everyone is clapping & cheering as you go by.

Many, many thanks to everyone who walked with me this year.

Surgery, Race for the Cure

I had my surgery this morning. Tissue expanders are OUT, implants are IN. It is now noon, and I'm home!

So far no pain. I don't get to take a shower until Wednesday (yuck) and I won't drive until Friday.

We had our Race for the Cure on Saturday. I was a team captain. We had lots of fun and a bit of tears.

Eventually I'll post some of my reflections and pictures, but since today was surgery day I'm going to be a lazy blogger and just going to ask you to take a look at my dear friend Andrea's blog post about the event. She says very flattering things about me, which you are welcome to take with a grain of salt :)


Andrea's Race for the Cure Blog Post: Heroes



Give her a round of applause for supporting the race and her two breast cancer pals.

The Race For the Cure

Last Friday night, I had my head shaved. Saturday was one of the best days of my life. WHAT? How could this be, you might ask.

Well, on Saturday morning we went to the Susan Komen Race for the Cure. The weather was perfect, and we were quite a large party: my family of six, three survivors from my support groups and their families, and one additional dear friend who came out to support her breast cancer buds.

It was my "coming out" party for being bald. What better venue? I was in lots of good company! And, as a survivor, you receive the royal treatment. You have a bright pink race shirt and hat to differentiate you from the crowd (and quite a crowd it was -9000 participants).

The highlight was a Survivor Procession: you line up behind a sign that groups the women by # of survival years. So my group was "-1" but the groupings went all the way up to "25+" and we all did a little parade / rally to Melissa Etheridge's "Run for Life" song.

Then one of the girls from my support group invited us back to her house for a party. All in all, it was a very empowering, FUN day.

We even went to two neighborhood parties later that night so I was a pooped out party girl on Sunday to be sure!

The Race For the Cure: With my Mom (Happy Mother's Day, Mom. You rock!)

Back to having the head shaved: My hairdresser asked me if I wanted to be turned away from the mirror. "Absolutely not," I replied. "This is my life and I intend to face it."

I had a head of hair "to die for" but of course, it wasn't worth dying for after all. I'm not exactly enjoying this being bald thing, but it isn't ruining my life like I thought it might.

As if I needed any further proof that the fates are fickle, Chris was booted off of American Idol this week! What gives with that?