Asking for Help

Today is August 23, 2011. It’s not a holiday; it’s not a birthday or anniversary of anyone I know. It’s not even a Saturday. Nevertheless, it is a slightly momentous day for me – exactly one month from this day, I will begin the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk for the Cure.

For those who don’t know, the Walk for the Cure is a 3-day-long event in which I will be walking 60 miles to help raise support and awareness for breast cancer. This also means 2 nights of sleeping in a tent and 3 days of going to the bathroom in a port-a-potty. (I’m not exactly thrilled about that.)

Since this blog is sponsored by a church, I thought it’d be good to have some Bible verses to demonstrate why this is important, but when I looked up “breast” in the Bible, everything was in Song of Solomon and that just didn’t seem appropriate, so I thought I’d tell you why I feel this walk is important.

I was going to start out by saying that 1 in 8 women in the US are affected by breast cancer, but that’s wrong. In fact, 1 in 8 women in the US are diagnosed with breast cancer, but many more men and women are affected. Mothers, daughters, fathers, sons, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, friends... when 1 person is diagnosed, so many more are affected. (Not to mention that men can actually get breast cancer too – wouldn’t you hate to be a man having to explain that?)

As a woman who has breast cancer in her family, and too many friends who have been touched by it as well, I feel it is something I cannot ignore. I feel that if I CAN help, then I HAVE to help... for myself, for my family, for you, and for your family.

However, I'm actually doing this walk in honor of 2 dear friends who are currently fighting other forms of cancer. In my opinion, cancer is cancer, and I'm sick of my friends and family having to deal with it in any form. So, although my friends don't have breast cancer, I'm walking for them. I believe finding the cure for one type of cancer can lead to advancements in a cure for another, so I'm walking to help eradicate not only breast cancer, but all cancer.

So why am I telling you this? (I bet you can guess in one try.) I’m telling you for two reasons:

First, I’m asking for prayers. I’ll be walking with a friend, Martha, and my mother is going to be a crew member (non-walking volunteer), so we’re asking for prayers for our health and safety and stamina. Also, I don’t know about Martha and my mom, but I’m a bit nervous about this, so prayers for peace and calm would be appreciated too. And, of course, prayers for my friends and anyone you know who is battling this horrible disease.

Second, obviously, I need financial support. (You knew that was coming, didn’t you?) Komen requires a minimum of $2,300 per person. I’ve done pretty well in my fundraising so far, but I need some help to get to finish line (literally and figuratively). I hate asking - I really, really do - but every little bit helps and would be sooo appreciated. Oh, and of course any donation would be tax deductible.

If you’d like to donate, please follow this link: www.the3day.org/site/TR/2011/WashingtonDCEvent2011?px=5757663&pg=personal&fr_id=1623 (When I add the "stuff" to make this an actual link, it disappears from the post, so you'll have to copy and paste it. Sorry.)

Thanks for bearing with me on this! :)

Oh, by the way, I was totally kidding about Song of Solomon – I never even tried to look up “breasts” in the Bible.