As I contemplate our plans (walk plans for me and pink sign plans for Bob) everything feels quite different than in the past.  As many of you know Bob was diagnosed in July, 2009 with esophageal cancer that had spread to his liver.  Our immediate response was to cancel the rest of our walk season; however, we were actually able to do 4 more after his diagnosis.   We finished the ‘walk season’ having completed 8 of the Avon Walks, and 3 of the Komen 3Day Walks for the Cure; raising over $108,000 for the year, and the 12 year total raised is $1,134,000.  Our continuing participation as walker/sign man/fundraisers is in great part because Bob wants to keep doing this.  So I plan to walk in all Avon Walks for Breast Cancer and 5 of the Komen 3Day Walks for the Cure in 2010.  My fundraising goal for 2010, as always, is to raise as much as I can.  Even though my formal ‘pink fundraising letter’ for 2010 has not been written I have been receiving checks already……I can’t thank all of you enough……those of you who have donated in the past, those of you who plan to donate, and to those of you whose support goes far beyond dollars because it is support of the personal journey that we are traveling…..our appreciation is very deep.

My hope is that the money that is for research in the fight against breast cancer may also find answers to some of the other cancers.  That is now part of our personal goal.  And as always, we are hoping that the research can stay ahead of some of the cancers.

If you would like to join me in the drive towards the 2^nd million you may click ‘donate’.  For Avon, please make donations in my name to the Santa Barbara walk and the Komen 3Day, please make donations in my name to the San Diego walk.

If you would like me to wear a ribbon in honor/memory of someone, please send me their name.  I wear a banner of ribbons on my back every day I walk.  The blue and white ribbons honor my sponsors and the pink ribbons have the names of their honorees.  I wear the banner with great pride and with a deep sense of responsibility to those I am honoring.

Please remind all of the women in your life about regular self exams and mammograms and remember, men get breast cancer too.

Thank you for partnering with me in this effort.  And especially Bob and I thank you for the love and support we have received from our ‘walk family’ around the country.

With love and appreciation,

Barbara Jo

March 10, 2010       My plans for walking are rather tentative. Everything is based on Bob's health and his ability to travel so we are really not definite about anything, other than fundraising, which is the most important part of this anyway.  I may be walking locally on official walk weekends....that will be determined also. So for the meantime, I appreciate your love and support and encourage your financial support, and I will continue to update the website. Please stay in touch.  Love, Barbara Jo

 

 

 

 

 

Check out this neat Breast Cancer Awareness Garden Gnome

http://www.gnomefrenzy.com/breast-cancer-garden-gnome.html

 

Check out my fundraiser video on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCP9qkOXG2w