i walk for them

as of this very moment, i am walking my way through the streets of DC. starting at nationals park, up through germantown and bethesda maryland, then ending at the washington monument over the course of three days. it. is. intense. they sent us the schedule last week and the route map this week. my stomach was doing bellyflops every few hours ever since. one of the things that kept me from a last minute back out (besides all of the wonderful people who donated - team hit $11.3k as of thurs morning) are these women:


sharon walensky
she's currently 59 and the mother of two; her daughter and i went to college together. she was diagnosed in may of this year. since then she has undergone a dual mastectomy, surgical removal of her left lymph nodes and five chemotherapy treatments (started in july). she has one remaining chemo treatment before she goes for reconstructive surgery in december. as of right now, she is cancer free. she manages to keep going with the support and encouragement of her family and friends. she also tries to stay positive and take everything one day at a time


mrs. spokus
unfortunately, i did not receive her information in time for this write up. i do know that over the summer she had a few complications, but i still have high hopes that she'll come out on the other end sans cancer. her daughter is another friend from college


tish best
she's now in her late 50s, but was diagnosed and treated when she was 56. her doctors found stage one breast cancer in december of 2006. her treatments included a lumpectomy and radiation. she is on a five year course of arimidex, but has been cancer free since her rounds of radiation. gratitude kept her and her family going when she had cancer and continues to do so now that she doesn't. she is a close friend of a woman i work with


laura robinson bodie
the maternal grandmother of one of my college professors, laura is no longer with us. unfortunately, she passed after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 1936. she was 36 at her death; her daughter was only 10. i asked the family if they could send me a photo on short notice, and deb forwarded me...

Laura Robinson Bodie by Sherman C. Ward Jr.

it is a painting deb's father created based on a photo of mrs. bodie... this image and this brief story always make me tear up. we have come so far since 1936, but we still have so far to go...

i'm dedicating the next three days to these four women