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Breast Cancer: A Therapeutic Alternative

 

 

Back in 2002, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her diagnosis caught me by surprise. My mother was healthy, she exercised on a regular basis and ate well. I couldn’t understand how she could have contracted this disease. While we had a history of colon cancer in the family, no one had ever experienced breast cancer.

I knew little about the disease and felt completely powerless. My mother lived in France where my brother and I were raised, while I resided in the States. All I could do was call and inquire about her treatment and her visits to the doctor.

As she began her radiation treatments, I was determined to help. Work prevented me from taking an extended leave of absence but I could do something in my community. I looked around for alternatives and on short notice I signed up as a crew member for the Avon Three-Day Breast Cancer Walk.

The Three-Day Breast Cancer Walk involved a 60 mile journey from Baltimore, Maryland, to Washington, D.C. Not only did participants walk the entire way, for three days, sleeping in tents at night, they also raised a substantial amount of money. Each walker raised close to $2,000. During their fundraising, participants trained and prepared for the physical challenge ahead.

The Three-Day Walk brought with it an energy I had never before experienced. Over 4,000 walkers participated along with hundreds of crew volunteers. We all found ourselves together, united in one cause for three intense days.

Mothers, sisters, daughters came out in droves to rally around the cause. Many were survivors, others were affected through friends and family. Fathers, brothers and sons were also involved in the effort. Everyone had one common objective: getting to the finish and accomplishing the challenge they had set out for. Months of training, fundraising and hard work were dedicated to one goal: supporting the cause, fighting breast cancer and moving research forward.

For three days I watched as participants exerted themselves, going beyond their physical limits to walk the miles that would get them from Baltimore to Washington. The support and encouragement they gave one another was amazing to behold.

They hugged each other, cried together, laughed together. Getting into camp at the end of the day was a victory for everyone. It didn’t matter that we all showered in vans and had no access to hairdryers. It didn’t matter that we all slept in tents. For three days all of our lives were intertwined and all of us benefited from arriving safely to the finish line.

When we reached the capital on day three, the city was ablaze with pink, the symbolic color of our journey. As survivors led the way and paraded to the finish, we all cheered and clapped.

Many of us cried. The journey had been tough, emotional and trying, and we had stretched ourselves more than we thought possible: the walkers had given the journey their all, walking further in three days than they ever had; the crew had done their utmost to support, feed, care for and ensure the safety of all participants. At the end of this team effort, we all reveled in our commitment to each other and our commitment to the cause. It was a rare moment that was touching, vibrant, full and unlike any I have ever experienced. It was a team effort in the purest sense of the term.

Years later, I am still amazed by the energy that accompanied this massive effort. I have not had a chance to go back and recommit as a crew member or as a walker. But I keep the memories alive inside me with the hope that one day I will be able to participate once again. Even though I was not affected by breast cancer, the journey was therapeutic for me as well.

It brought me closer to my mother, who to this day is doing well and has not had a relapse. It brought me closer to a sisterhood of women who shared similar experiences; it also introduced me to strong women who faced the same harsh reality as my mother and battled breast cancer every day. We all found that using our bodies for the cause helped: we met and we bonded, but at the end of the day we used our bodies for a good cause and got fitter, and healthier, in the process.

The biggest lesson I learned from the three days was that I was not alone in facing the reality that breast cancer had touched a loved one. While I felt powerless, overwhelmed and sad, realizing that there were others around me suffering as much as and often more than my mother was healing in itself. I would recommend this journey to anyone similarly affected, whether through a loved one or directly, or someone simply wanting to help. While there is therapy in treatment, there is also therapy in bonding, and in remaining healthy.

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Are you interested in fighting breast cancer? Check out the following fitness-oriented events in your community…

Avon Walks for Breast Cancer Two-day walks are scheduled in the following cities from late April until late October: Washington, DC; Boston, MA; Chicago, IL; Denver, CO; San Francisco, CA; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; Charlotte, NC. Go to www.avonwalk.org for details.

Breast Cancer 3-Day walks are scheduled in the following locations from early August until mod-November: Boston, Michigan, Twin Cities, Seattle, Chicago, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Arizona, San Diego. Go to www.the3day.org for details.

Komen Race for the Cure - 5K runs / fitness walks held all over the country. Visit the following website to find a race near you: www.komen.org

Climb to Fight Breast Cancer, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Climbs take place on some of the world’s most famous peaks including Mt. Hood, Mt. Baker, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Elbrus. The fundraising deadline has passed for 2006 – stay tuned to the
following deadline for 2007: http://www.fhcrc.org/about/ne/events/climb/.

 

Article By Karen Frum
 

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Check Out The Resource Page For Women's Breast Health.

 

More Articles On Women's Breast Health from Woman's Health Network:

Understanding The Link Between Vitamin E And Breast Cysts

Finding A Breast Lump In Pregnancy And Other Pregnancy Changes To The Breasts 

Understanding Breast Cysts 

A Look At The Benefits Of Breastfeeding 

Your Breasts Have Many Parts 

14 Tips For The Natural Prevention Of Breast Cancer 

The Danger And Unreliability Of Mammograms 

How To Give Yourself A Breast Massage For Healthy Happy Breasts 

Breast Cancer: A Therapeutic Alternative 

Breast Cancer: The Bitter Truth 

Understanding Breast Cancer 

Breast Cancer And Bras: Is There A Connection? 

Women's Breast Health Tips 

Free Treatment For Breast Cancer Just Outside Your Door

Understanding the Cause of Breast Discharge: What Your Breast Discharge May Be Saying About Your Health

Herbs And Vitamins For Healthy Breasts

Are Your Breasts Healthy?

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