BARBARA JO KIRSHBAUM

2009 AVON WALK FOR BREAST CANCER

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer--Rocky Mountains--June 27-28, 2009--1400 participants--$2.6m raised

Good morning everyone,

I don't feel like being a 'Pollyanna' this morning! This was a tough walk for me....walking at 9200 ft. elevation was difficult, even with having arrived in CO. several days before to acclimate. And to top it off, I fell.....I think I just tripped over my own feet! It was not serious, and I am so grateful. I fell smack on my left knee and right hand....fortunately I had long pants and mittens on so it was not a direct hit on the asphalt. Actually Bob and I are amazed that with 5360 miles of walking for breast cancer, I have only had 2 falls, and neither were as bad as they could have been. So.....the Monday
after......and I am none the worse for wear! I was definitely affected by the altitude even though Bob and I were there in enough time that we would (in the past) have acclimated. However, I walked with Meagan, who is 18 yrs. old, and we were both 'winded' at the same times....so you never can tell. Bob, however, never really acclimated, and is only now feeling really good....now that we are home. The flip side of all of this is that the weather held, and was spectacularly beautiful the whole time, and the white fluffy clouds, green forests, and blue skies can't be beat for their view. And no matter, what I may complain about it is nothing to what a survivor of breast cancer deals with. And I met some of the most fabulous, strong survivors. Those conversations kept me grounded and those people are the ones who keep me coming back, keep me walking, and keep me fundraising.

I wanted to write about a trip Bob and I took with 3 of our granddaughters to the Grand Canyon about 2 weeks ago. When we arrived at the Canyon, the girls noticed a table that was set up 'for breast cancer'. I thought they were teasing me, but lo and behold there were 3 women who are doing the AZ 3Day with a table, fundraising. Of course, we spoke with them for a time and were excited to meet them. You would think that was the end of the story......no way......This weekend in CO. one of the women, Alison, who I had met last year and was the Crew leader for creating a very ecologically Green walk, said that she knows those same women we met in AZ.! One of those women work for Alison's husband, and they were telling Alison about the woman they met at the Grand Canyon (me), and Alison said she immediately knew it was me! The 'breast cancer walk' world is pretty small, but then again, I guess the world is too! Anyway, I loved this coincidence.

We had dinner in Denver when we arrived on Mon. with our dear friend Carol. It is her husband, who was Bob's classmate, who is buried at Arlington Cemetery. Every walk we do in DC Bob goes to the cemetery to pay his respects, which always falls on the anniversary of Alan's death. Our walks in CO always fall during Carol's birthday week. Happy Birthday again, Carol!

Bob is not able to put up our pink signs for walkers......the county doesn't think it is environmentally ok....(I guess)....so he played golf one day and went fly fishing one day. He had a great time doing those things, but he still never felt very good. On Sun. he just kept showing up and finding me all day, which is not a surprise, since he seems to have an incredible 'Barbara Jo' radar and can find me anytime on route! I love it!

I spoke with a few people on Sat., but that is the day that walkers seem to be so focused on 'walking' and talking with their own team members that it always feels like there is less interaction......Sun. always feels like there is more communication with others going on.......maybe it is me!

Amy, a kindergarten teacher, doing her 3rd walk, told me that she dressed up 'as me' for a career day at her school! She wore an Avon connection ribbon, hat and t-shirt. I was so moved by that. That kind of story just touches me so deep. Thank you for that honor Amy.

Meagan and I came to a rest stop. Gloria was standing there cheering for everyone. She was with her son in law and twin granddaughters. Gloria is a 2 yr. survivor, and her daughter had told her about me. She had spent some of her time on my website reading my journals and recognized me and Meagan, as well from the journals. She walks for the Relay for Life and I think she is from Chico CA. I was looking for her later but never saw her again.

I met the Snodgrass family......Dad and his adult children.....I think they were all from Wyoming and some of them have been doing this for 3 yrs., but I was impressed that they had already signed up, with other family members, to do the Boston walk, 2010. What a great time for combining family bonding, and making a difference in the world.

I spoke with Christine and Patty. Patty was walking for her Mother and sister, who are survivors. They had met on a training walk and seemed to have become good friends. Christine is career Army....I thanked her for what she is doing in her life to keep us safe. Can you believe.....she is a soldier and a helicopter pilot, and is going to school through the Army. She has already been in the Army for 11 years and loves doing what she does. She found me at the end of the day and gave me a big big hug. What a hero!

Lunch was very chatty......Teri came over to me because she had heard that this was my 105th walk. She is a 3 yr. survivor. This was her 2nd walk, but she had had knee surgery just 3 weeks before, so she was being careful with how much she walked. She is a beautiful young woman, and she too has already signed up for next year.

I also met Patty at lunch. She was sitting near us and I think she overheard my conversation with Teri. Patty is a 1 yr. survivor, and was so grateful to me. I think I just represent all fundraisers to a survivor, because they are aware that it is because of the funds raised and the research that there are so many survivors. I am always touched because it almost feels like they think it is 'my million + dollars' that has made the difference........and as I always say......'it takes all of us'.

At the end of the walk, and I don't even remember the names (I have to write everything down!), I spoke with a 6th month survivor, whose hair was just growing in, and her friend who was a 1 1/2 yr. survivor. All of these fabulous people are the reasons I must keep doing this.

So....moving along......we get to the airport and the porter is checking our baggage......he asks if I just finished a 'little' walk.....I set him straight that was no little walk!.....he was thinking it was a 5k.....he then tells me that his Mother is a survivor, and there is a lot of breast cancer in his girl friend's family. OK, we are in the airport.....and we go into the Harley shop and the saleswoman tells me about her sister who died of breast cancer.......Bob's comment....'it's all over'. And because breast cancer 'is all over' and being diagnosed every 3 minutes I must keep doing what I am doing.

So, to sum this all up, there are definitely moments when I wonder what the heck I am doing, however, there are many more moments when I am positive of what I am doing and why I am doing it.

Thank you for reading my journal and for your support in this fight. Together, we are making a difference........there are 2 MILLION survivors in the United States!

Hugs,