San Diego--Breast CA 3Day--Nov. 10-12,2006--4500 walkers--500crew--raised $11.3m

 

Just look at those numbers.  Wow!  The weekend was filled with spirit, emotion, tears, energy, kindness and love.  As someone said to me 'it is a shame we can't bottle that energy' and I agree, but would also like that love and kindness to be filtered more into our 'real' worlds.  It is amazing what is created during these breast cancer walks in terms of love and kindness.

 

For me, this walk had a specialness all its own.  It was my 70th long distance walk for breast cancer.  The 3Day organization invited me to participate in opening ceremonies and asked me to speak on Fri. night.  It is always an honor and privilege to do those things. My son surprised me on Thur. afternoon, and the rest of the local family came down on Fri. evening to hear me talk and support the walkers on Sat.  The grandchildren participated with Bob in putting up the pink signs.  I don't know if they passed Signage 101, but I am sure they had a good time.

 

On Thur. night we met Sherrie and Tony for dinner.  It was Tony's birthday weekend and we had been corresponding since the beginning of the year, when they had made the decision to walk in SD.   They are a couple from MI that I met in 2004 and are written up in the Why We Walk book.  Sherrie was diagnosed at 24 yrs. old and during treatment realized that she was pregnant.  They have a healthy 9 yr. old daughter.  Sherrie is now a 4 time survivor. Sherrie's twin sister is also a survivor.  It was a thrill to spend time with them, and since Sherrie participated in the 'Survivor's Circle' at closing ceremonies, Tony walked in to the ceremonies with me.  It is because of people like Sherrie, that I must keep raising money to find answers.  I loved every minute with them.

 

The first day of the walk my body seemed pretty good.  The second day was a lot more tiring and I said I wasn't sure I could do the 3rd day.  Bob said--"How many times have you said the same thing?" and of course I say that all of the time.  The 3rd day was great.  I just continually am amazed by the bodies ability to recover. 

 

This was a beautiful walk.  There were people from all over coming to SD to walk.  I met teams from Atlanta and CO.  My brain is just all over the place right now, and this journal may not seem too organized!

Gary, my buddy who walked with me in AZ, found me.  He was walking with his teammate Donna, and we all walked together into closing.

 

There were so many trucks and vehicles at the campsite--necessary to support 4500 walkers!  Bob said it looked like an army camp.  The organization and logistics of these really large events is just enormous and I love seeing how it all flows, even tho it may be a long walk from ones tent to the shower trucks to the dining tents, but it all works. 

 

I saw my friend from Fla, a motorcycle security person, who I have met many times in the past.  He became involved with these walks because he lost his wife to breast cancer.  He recently remarried and his new wife is having a biopsy this week.  My thoughts are with you.

 

I talked to Bethel and Jason.  They just married and were both doing the walk.  I wish you a healthy life together. Congratulations.

 

I talked with Scott from Bakersfield.  He was walking for his sister.  He had been planning to do this for years, and signed up a couple of times, but the minute he got his first donation, he felt committed to do the walk!  Go Scott!

 

Brian and Lori found me.  They used to live in Upland and know one of my daughters.  They were walking in memory of Lori's mother.  What a beautiful way to honor her Mother.  Thank you for slowing your pace to my short steps!

 

I talked with John Kelly.  He is a recent male survivor of breast cancer and melanoma.  This is the 2nd year that he has walked and he said "I walk because I can".  Good job, John!

 

My friend Kathy from Upland, found me on Fri. after I spoke.  She was excited because she had walked the whole route that day.  She is a recent survivor and one of the people that personally has touched my life. I was so proud of what she accomplished.  Go Kathy!

 

I saw Jennifer, who is doing her 2nd walk.  She and I had spoken several years ago about this.  She was walking with 2 friends.  That is how we raise more and more money--each person bringing in more people.

Jennifer, you rock!

 

I saw Smile Guy and his daughter, Little Grin. He has supported the walks since before Little Grin was born.  Dan, the clapper, and his wife Theresa were on the route for 3 days.  The Barbie Girls, the USC guy, Teresa Villa's cousin were just a few of the unofficial people that cheered us on for 3 days. There were many others  whose names have slipped off my radar (I'll probably remember them tomorrow!) who I have known from the past.  I treasure all of you and appreciate all that you are doing for the cause.

 

There was the survivor from Upland that I see sometimes when I am training; there was the woman who did the route with a walker; there was the young man who was in a wheel chair; there was the woman who had just found out she was pregnant; there was the Walker Man who is walking around the country; there was the daughter who had flown in to walk for her recently diagnosed mom, but had broken her foot 2 weeks ago, who then spent 2 days with her mom and walked the 3rd day on her broken foot. There were people walking in sandals, in flip flops, hiking boots and bare feet! There was Leticia and Laurie, my email stalkers, who met me as I came into the holding area, with 70 pink carnations for me---I fell apart!  And mostly what I saw and experienced was 4500 participants and 500 crew members pushing themselves beyond their usually endurance and expectations.  All of us gathering together to make a difference in this fight against breast cancer.  And we are making a difference.

 

And when it was all over and I arrived back at home, there were rose petals from my door, up the staircase to my bedroom.  There were signs of congratulations created by 3 of my granddaughters and 2 of my daughters. There were pink roses and pink carnations in every vase, and flowers in the shower, in the bathroom sink and in the tub.  And this morning at 6:30 am there were phone calls from the granddaughters to ask how I liked my surprise.  And so I am back to my 'real world' and appreciate the blessings that I have.

 

I will be back walking and fundraising in 2007 and hope that you will continue to share the road with me.

 

Hugs,

Barbara Jo