Mile Marker: $15.00 Amazon.com Card Giveaway!

NOTE:  All four Amazon gift cards have been claimed!  I hope you'll sign up for the Inaugural Virtual Challenge anyway.  Keep watching for the next giveaway designed to increase awareness of and STOP diabetes!

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It's time for the first of several giveaways designed to STOP diabetes! 

One simple way to prevent the onset of type II diabetes is to get more exercise. And, this inaugural "virtual challenge" is a great opportunity to get started with that goal!  All you have to do is go to the site and register to participate. Then run or walk, alone or with a group, anytime between June 21 and June 24, 2013. The cost is $10, plus a $3.25 processing fee, for a total of $13.25.  You'll receive a T-shirt and a medal, along with the satisfaction that comes with reaching a goal.  The registration deadline is growing short, so hurry!

But, how would you also like a chance to receive one of four $15.00 amazon.com gift cards?  That means you'll be totally reimbursed for the cost of registration, plus $1.75! That's right -- it's so important to me that you get out and WALK to prevent diabetes, I'll pay four people to do it!

 Follow these directions carefully. 

• Email me at casmarsh56@aol.com with a brief, positive comment about a person you know who has diabetes (first names only, please).  In return, I'll email you with my fax number and a special identifier to write on your registration receipt.
• Click here and register via Active.com for the Inaugural Virtual Challenge.
• Print out a copy of your Registration Receipt, write the special identifier on it, and fax it to me.  (Feel free to block out any other identifying information on the receipt.  I just need to know you've registered.)

The first four people who complete the directions will receive a $15.00 gift card via email to spend at amazon.com!

My diabetes and I already have registered.  What's stopping YOU?

Here's to the next mile!

Mile Marker: On the Road Again

If I can do this, YOU can do this! The American Diabetes Association wants to increase awareness through fitness.  Run, walk, or crawl, as they say, anytime between June 21 through June 24, 2013. Select your own distance -- 5K (3.1 miles), 10K, or 13.1. Go alone or with a group. You have FOUR days to complete your distance.  Get the whole family out for fun and fitness' sake. Just DO it!

This event is pure genius! Failure is not possible, unless you do nothing. Click here and navigate to the "Registration" tab to sign up for a modest fee of $13.25. The fee covers the cost of your entry, netting you a T-shirt and a medal. And, participant bibs can be printed right from the website. When the event is complete, participants simply submit their completion times via the site's Contact page. Voilà! Your medal arrives through the mail.

There are about three weeks left to prepare for this event. Need to increase your mileage or quicken your pace? The time to start is now. I'm registered. I have borrowed an incredible pair of shoes to describe for you soon. But for now, my recent heart attack and I are walking out the door.

What's stopping YOU?

A Dragon's Gift

Challenge is a dragon with a gift in its mouth . . . Tame the dragon and the gift is yours. -- Noela Evans

I hate dragons. When I started writing this post, I did not know that 2012 was the Chinese "Year of the Dragon." (You can say THAT again.) Truly, I mean no disrespect to people who believe that dragons are a good thing. But, I hate dragons. The fact is, I've hated dragons since my earliest memory, when the first terrifying encounter happened at about the age of three. I don't know how it found me in my sleep, but I awoke and it was crouching quietly at the foot of the bed, snake-eyes glaring, silvery-green scales reflecting broken rays of moonlight in the dark. Then the darned thing lurched at me, clawing, scraping the skin right off my legs. So it was, with my last post at the end of 2011, when my dragon came back to visit. It stole my pen, it seems, as I found it very difficult to write anything remotely inspiring. But, worse, it managed to steal my shoes.

This dragon was persistent. It stalked me at every turn for over a year, closer to two years, spewing embers on the path beneath my feet. There was constant anxiety related to my tiny little grandson's illness. And, there was guilt, profound guilt, at being located too far from his parents (my son and his wife) to help them in a significant way. Then, my husband underwent an extended hospitalization. We fell on hard times and came treacherously close to losing our home. Also, in November of 2011, my children's father, my first husband of twenty-five years, died suddenly. Aside from my own grief (and yes, people do grieve over former spouses), I felt entirely helpless to comfort my own children as they worked through the immense pain of that tragedy. Eventually, I also began to feel ill, but the source of my discomfort eluded me. And, as often is the case for people, the most miniscule event in comparison to all else was the one that precipitated surrender -- an injury to my left knee. Running, the coping mechanism that works best for me, became impossible when I fell UP a concrete step and popped my knee cap into a place it didn't belong. As I wallowed there on the steps, cradling my painful knee, the dragon snatched the shoes right off my feet.

Months and months passed. That scaly, overgrown lizard situated itself right in front of me, snorting, snickering, blowing its repulsive breath in my face. It teased me, trophying my tattered shoes just out of my reach. Despite rest, ice, compression and elevation (RICE), despite muscle strengthening designed to re-align the knee cap, it simply didn't heal well enough to get back on the road. I meandered aimlessly and shoeless, burying myself in what I had decided were well-deserved doses of pity and skepticism. Lurking, laughing, the dragon gloated over my pitiful mindset.

It didn't try to eat me or slay me; no, this dragon was very cunning. Instead, it cast a spell, transforming me into one of its own. Two of my toes started pinching up into sharp points at the center of the nail bed -- like a dragon's claw, it seemed to me. My skin began to turn scaly and coarse. My eyes were so dry, it felt as if the pupils were trying to morph into snake-like vertical slits. I thought I might actually breathe fire from being parched all the time, and I'd gulp water in huge quantities, in futile attempts to quench the heat. I experienced fleeting episodes of pressure in my chest, overwhelming fatigue, tingling in my legs, and a laundry list of other complaints, all too vague in my mind to discuss with my doctor. Besides, how in the world would I ever explain the dragon?

But, on February 10, 2013, my nemesis grew impatient with my gradual transformation. The dragon drew its sword and stabbed at me, right at the middle of my chest. I resisted, kicking and screaming, flailing at it with my fists, poking at those hideous, glowing snake eyes. I beat the nasty thing into retreat, and when I did, I had managed to survive a real-life "widow-maker" of a heart attack, coupled with a new diagnosis of type II diabetes. (The diabetes, it turns out, was a more formidable opponent than any dragon, and the cause of all those dragon-like symptoms.)

Now, when one so regularly attracts a dragon's fury and lives to tell the tale, there is cause for self-examination -- lots of it. Which brings me to the belly of this blog; that is, to tell the stories of ordinary people who face adversity with courage and grace. Battling my dragon has forced me to admit that I have never been guilty of handling adversity with grace -- not once, not even for a second. Although I imagine myself being graceful on those occasions, I rarely seem to pull it off. And, that's exactly why I started this blog in the first place. I hoped to observe the courageous examples of others who achieve what I cannot, to learn from them, to honor them, and to attempt to retrace their footsteps. What I have failed to recognize in this effort is that a number of such people in my life, siblings, children, cousins, friends -- people whom I have known and loved for many years, have shoes that are worth borrowing. The dragon has been tamed for now, and as Noela Evans observed, it left behind a gift. The gift is the recognition that it isn't necessary to search across the globe for extraordinary examples of character and principle. Instead, those examples have been with me all along, marked by the shoe prints of people whom I know and love, whose remarkable stories are worth the telling.

So, as I used to say in the days before the dragon, "Here's to the next mile!" I'll be traveling now, trying out shoes from the dragon's gift. Hmmm...which pair to choose?

Barefoot Running: Lesson #2

There is always someone whose feet are sorer than mine.

My intention was to write about a few more challenges that the year presented me, but as other barefoot runners posted comments related to Colton's story, I was reminded, once again, that my road is not nearly as difficult to travel as that of many others. I was forced to consider something I witnessed many years ago, something so extraordinary that it has permanently altered my perspective.

Lesson #2: The Rock Climber

It was a gorgeous summer morning in the year 2000 at Cooper's Rock State Park in West Virginia. I had driven there for respite during a difficult time, and the prescription worked wonders. The mountain vistas were breathtaking. The air was filled with a mixture of scents: the moist floor of ancient woodlands, the mild fragrance of wild rhododendrons in bloom, and the fresh breeze that skimmed across the hilltops. As I walked down a path, leaves from the canopy of trees overhead fluttered and wriggled, allowing the sunlight to dance in random patterns in front of my feet.

Ahead, I could hear voices, and as I rounded a curve, a group of people were standing at the base of a rock face. The rock jutted straight up out of the ground, as sharp and as tall as if it were a skyscraper. A man was clinging to this rough wall, perhaps thirty feet off the ground. The group below shouted, "Move your right foot up and over! One more step! Lift your left hand up! REACH UP!" The man struggled, trembling as he followed the instructions of his comrades. I stood mesmerized, holding my breath, my eyes glued to his every move.

Just as I was wondering why in the world they weren't all simply keeping quiet, I realized that the climber had no sight. Slowly, ever so slowly he crept, climbing without the benefit of seeing where he was or where he had to go, absent any view of his next foothold. It was excruciating to observe. On the one hand, I wanted to leave before the worst imaginable thing happened; on the other hand, I was transfixed, paralyzed -- stricken at the depth of his courage and the profound level of trust he placed in his companions. With a final reach at the top of the rock face, a fellow climber stepped forward to pull the man to safety. The group at the bottom of the rock applauded, shouting in celebration. However, I did not shout or applaud. Instead, I turned to go, grateful the man was uninjured, as I tried to recall how to breathe.

The impact of this experience can not be overstated for me. As a result, just as I asked myself when I turned to leave the climber and his friends, my mind frequently interjects the question, "So, what's my problem?" It happens any time I lose my shoes or the trail is rocky: I am reminded that somebody's feet are sorer than mine. My mind's eye sees the climber, sees what he could not. Then, I whisper to myself, "One more step. REACH UP!"

I tell this story because after reviewing the earlier comments, I simply didn't have the heart to describe my own challenges. My feet are just not that sore. But, I think Anna, Trish and DIcouponqueen could use some new shoes. Their trails are hard and their soles are worn.

At about 11:00 last night, I used the random number generator at random.org to select the winning comment from a field of three who left their email addresses. The winning number was 3! DIcouponqueen, you are the winner of the $100.00 Visa gift card! Congratulations! I hope the gift will lighten your step as you move forward into your challenge. Think of the sightless man. Trust yourself and those who love you. Go one more step!

As for Anna and Trish -- it seems to me that both of you could use a little perk. You'll each receive $50.00 gift cards for making the time and effort to share your struggles here. It sounds to me as if some new shoes would help to soothe your bare feet as you meet the challenges ahead! Remember the climber. Keep reaching up!

Thanks to each of the commenters for helping me honor baby Colton's birthday, his precious life, and his determination to walk the path that is laid before him. His little shoes are those of courage. I think I'll be borrowing them soon.

Here's to the next mile!

Barefoot Running: Lesson #1

You could say I've been running barefoot.

The last time I borrowed a pair of shoes was in December of 2010. Those shoes of patience slogged across the finish line for an Arthritis Foundation Jingle Bell Run in honor of Jack W. I recall being elated that I was NOT the last person in my age group to cross the finish line.

Then came The Bad Stuff. It's never the "good" stuff that causes us to pause and reassess. I mean, does anybody ever get a nice raise, or achieve a 4.0 in school, or publish a book and react by thinking, "Now, it's time for me to go on sabbatical . . . it's time to examine my shortcomings and reassess"? Oh, perhaps some incredibly successful, goal-oriented folks who aspire to win friends and influence people do this. Mostly, though, The Good Stuff propels us forward, keeps us energized, and we whisper our gratitude into the air, running in cushioned shoes toward the next good thing.

But, The Bad Stuff mercilessly knocks the shoes right off our feet. We run barefoot, scratched and raw, until the pain of it brings us to our knees. The Bad Stuff forces us to look inward, is relentless in its demand that we search for meaning, insists that we understand the lesson in every trial. For my own part, 2011 was littered with lessons, and it seems fitting to close out the year by sharing those lessons with you.

Lesson #1: Colton

Few things are more heart-wrenching than having a child with serious medical problems. I am confident of this. I have experienced it. Yet, it is even more difficult to watch your own child agonize over his or her child. And, it was during such a time late last year that something jerked this blog's entire collection of borrowed shoes right out from under me.

Little Baby Colton, a new grandson, was born at the end of last December. He was precious, tiny, helpless -- and I was so fortunate to have arrived just in time to hear his first little cries. Yet, it was only a short while into his fragile little life that signs of trouble emerged. He would spend the next forty days moving in and out of intensive and critical care units. He was subjected to open-heart surgery when he was less than four weeks old.

Time and time again, I'd see the agony in the eyes of my courageous son and his wife. I could hear it in their voices. Time and time again, Colton would teeter on the edge, I'd ask myself how much agony was enough, and his Momma and Daddy urged and cooed and caressed him back to safety.

But, I saw something else during those weeks that I am unable to explain. I saw this teeny little baby, whose anatomy simply did not support survival -- do exactly that. I recall being mesmerized as I observed what was clearly, plainly, his unadorned will to LIVE. But, there was something more. At times, it seemed, when he surely was exhausted, when even the will of a grown and burly man might have failed, something indescribable happened. It was an underlying force, something even more fundamental than instinct. A strange energy was driving this baby, pushing him, sustaining him. It defied human understanding or explanation. It was, perhaps ... spiritual.

Therein lies the lesson. Over my lifetime, after seeing a sizable portion of The Bad Stuff happening to people, I'd developed what I thought were very practical ideas, carefully crafted opinions, about what is merciful and what is not, about when life has meaning and when it is devoid of meaning. Not only have I had to rethink all those ideas, but I've had to discard most of them. Truth is, life itself has the power to determine its destiny. Life warrants no interference, life needs no other wisdom.

Soon, Colton will be one year old. His little chuckles of delight and loving manner have been the most marvelous gifts. His birthday will be a joyous day! And, in honor of that remarkable milestone, I want to celebrate with a random bloggy giveaway. The prize? A $100 Visa giftcard! Here are the rules.

1. You must write a comment on this blog or one of the coming "Barefoot Running" blogs. Your comment is your entry.

2. The comment must be about you or someone you know who's running barefoot (facing a challenge). Use first names only, please.

3. The comment must explain the lesson you've learned while running barefoot.

4. The comment must contain your email, so that I can contact you if you are the winner of the giveaway.

5. Each entry will be assigned a number. Random selection from this pool of numbers will occur on December 22--just in time for Christmas!

I hope to find lots of comments!

Until next year, I'll be posting about barefoot running lessons, looking for shoes to borrow -- and thinking about the next mile.

Shoes of Patience -- Jack W.

It always has been the case in my life that when good fortune takes aim, it materializes in the form of a person. So it is with Jack W., who has been a mentor and co-worker to me for nearly eight years. His days revolve around the efficient and expert management of rugged stuff: machinery, grime, and sweat -- lots of sweat. It is in this industrial landscape of a "man's world" -- a harsh backdrop of enormous steel tanks and grease and pipes and valves -- where Jack has taught me to hold my own. While I only can guess at the true extent of patience he has expended in that eight-year-long process, I know the depth of my gratitude for it.

Jack is devoted to his family, his job, golf, and the Baltimore Ravens. He battles arthritis in his knees, his back, and a shoulder; yet, regardless of the very physical demands of his work, he perseveres through pain and discomfort with a perpetual sense of humor and a precise measure of no-nonsense professionalism. As co-workers, we've shared successes and disappointments; we've laughed with and at each other; we've lamented to and about each other; but, in good times and bad, Jack's patient support has not failed during my learning process.

To Jack W., my mentor and friend: tomorrow I will travel three miles in support of finding a cure for arthritis. If you don't mind, I'd like to borrow your shoes while I run. I know they will not fit my feet, because they already overflow with patience and perseverance. But, I will carry them with me. With every stride from beginning to end, they will remind me to focus on your example, and to hope for relief in our lifetimes -- relief that will allow you to climb the hill at work with pain-free knees, to gather up your grandchildren with a pain-free back, and to swing a golf club with a pain-free shoulder.

Here's to the next mile!

Oh, and Jack ... one more thing ... Go, STEELERS!

These Shoes Are Blue!

According to the Arthritis Foundation, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 46.4 million Americans suffer from some form of doctor-diagnosed arthritis. In 2003-2005, that meant that 21.6% of American adults had doctor-diagnosed arthritis. With an aging population, the numbers are expected only to increase.

It's a relentless, miserable ache in the shoulder that keeps a grandfather from playing baseball with his grandson. It's a merciless pain in the fingers that keep your elderly neighbor from being able to open medication bottles, or even grasp a spoon tightly. It becomes disabling, and it's a devastating disease for families who have children that are diagnosed with arthritis, forever altering the manner in which those children experience life.

Slip on your favorite shoes and participate in a Jingle Bell Run or Walk in your area, or donate today to support finding improved treatments . . . yes, even a cure for arthritis. After all, you could be one of the next patients in that 21.6% of Americans who are diagnosed with the disease.

Just click on the symbol to donate!

I'll be looking for some worthy shoes to borrow for this run, so don't forget to leave a comment about someone you know who suffers from arthritis. I'll write a tribute, take his or her name with me across the finish line, and make a donation in that person's honor.

Here's to the next mile!

Weapons In the Fight Against Breast Cancer

While researching the material for many of these tributes, I've discovered a multitude of useful weapons in the fight against breast cancer, either for patients or for those who wish to donate to end the war. So, before moving forward to the next worthy cause, I wanted to list those resources in a single post.

Prevention, Early Detection, and Treatment

Prevention and early detection cannot be overemphasized. GET A MAMMOGRAM. The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends that women age 40 and older should have a screening mammogram every year, and should continue to do so for as long as they are in good health. Click here to begin learning about the procedure and the important role mammograms play in the early detection of breast cancer.

If mammogram costs are a hindrance to you, call your local health department, or the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 for information about facilities in your area that perform the tests at low or no cost. The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) also provides breast and cervical cancer early detection testing to women without health insurance for free or at very little cost. To learn more about this program, please contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at 1-800-CDC INFO (1-800-232-4636) or visit their Web site at www.cdc.gov/cancer.

To find out how to perform a breast self-exam (BSE), go to Komen for the Cure. Or, try out WebMD or About.Com. The American Cancer Society also offers excellent guidance, as does BreastCancer.Org. One last site is worthy of mention because it also offers free shower card reminders. Go to HealthyWomen and download your free card, which was published in April of 2008 by the National Women's health Resource Center, Inc. Or, click on the image below for a larger version, print it out, stash it in a ziplock bag, and hang it in the shower.

But, hey, enough of that serious stuff. Check Your Boobies! No kidding -- that's the name of the organization, whose mission is to ". . . educate women about breast health in a frank, fun, and fear-free manner. [They] are dedicated to the prevention and early detection of Breast Cancer." And, if you're tired of Tupperware or Pampered Chef parties, make sure to take note of the resources and testimonials on this site for planning your very own "CYB Party."

Useful Services

For women who are undergoing treatment for breast cancer, climbing out of bed in the morning can be nearly impossible, let alone trying to clean house. But, Cleaning for a Reason can help with that chore. Go to the site and apply!

Donations

For donors, nearly any of the sites listed above are looking for research funding. But, here's an easy one!

Visit The Breast Cancer Site. On the first page, a button will appear that looks like the one to the left. Click on it. That's all there is to it! Each time the button is clicked, advertisements from site sponsors are displayed. All of the money from these advertisers goes to the site's charity partners, who fund programs to provide mammograms to women in need. How easy is that?

For all you sporty types, one of the most creative fund raising efforts I've seen is sponsored by Major League Baseball Stands Up to Cancer! Go to the site, make a $5 donation, and own a virtual piece of your favorite team's stadium. Donations fund research in the fight against cancer! (Thanks to my dear daughter-in-law, Erin, a die-hard Pirates fan, for sending this one and Cleaning for a Reason!)

If none of these donating strategies appeals to you, have some chocolate! Purchase a bag of Pepperidge Farm® Milano® cookies, and they'll donate 50¢ to Susan G. Komen for the Cure® (up to $50,000).

Breast cancer ... every 69 seconds a woman dies from it. Together, we can fight this devil by using the right weapons! Protect yourself through early detection, donate to research -- go the distance to find the cure!

Here's to the next mile!

Shoes Filled With Dollars -- Jill Haines

When I began to write this series of tributes to breast cancer patients and survivors, I was determined to avoid pleading with readers to make donations to anything. The purpose of my effort, after all, is to highlight the extraordinary characters of regular people who graciously and tenaciously battle the demons of disease and misfortune. Instead, I had planned to set an example by making donations of my own to each featured cause, and hoped that others would follow suit.

But, today, I have changed my mind. I write to do that very thing -- to ask for money for breast cancer research. What brought about this change of focus? Yesterday, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, I saw the faces of all those whose names are listed on this blog's "wall of honor." It was unmistakable -- their fear and determination, their agonies, hopes, and dreams, all mirrored in the faces of thousands of men and women, some survivors, some friends, and some family members of those who suffer from or have succumbed to breast cancer. During yesterday's Race for the Cure, a part of this country's eastern seaboard was awash in symbols of pink -- pink shoes, pink hats, pink gloves, pink banners -- all signals that the fight continues and a cure surely is on the horizon.

As I ran, I quietly recited the list that's been building here for many months: Emily Jean Thorn, Linda Ramsey Beam, Linda Jessee Mills, Libby Holter, Kaira W., Lynda Boyd, Vanny Mam Cain, Sue Michener, Betty Godby, Tricia Keegan, Jennifer S., and Jill Haines. And, it was that last name -- Jill Haines -- one of twelve companions to thousands of other names printed on people's backs, that changed my mind.

Some time ago, Jennifer S., who is herself a survivor of breast cancer, requested a tribute in memory of her dear friend, Jill Haines. Of Jill, Jennifer remarks, "Jill is an 11 year Stage IV survivor. As the years have gone by and the treatments have changed, she has shown amazing resilience in dealing with the side effects of the various chemos while living her life with incredible enthusiasm." Jennifer's tribute to Jill continues to reflect her deep admiration for her friend.

I am asking that you read her story and imagine that her story could be that of your mothers, daughters, sisters, or that of yourselves. Imagine her passion for this life and her vision of a world without breast cancer for all of you. I am asking that you take the time to read this, and pass it on to everyone in your mailbox and pass it on to your school or church group. I am asking that you take the time to confirm her belief in the power of one dollar. . . .

Recently, Jill and I had a conversation about the power of one dollar in regards to funding research. Jill is alive today because of the dollars that were donated for breast cancer research over the last 25 years. She is currently on a drug that was not available just a few years ago. However, she is running out of options, and her life, like so many others, depends on the continued funding of research for breast cancer. The drug that may save her life might be right around the corner.

As with most of us as we face our mortality, Jill is wanting to make an impact on this world before she leaves it. Its been a rough couple of months for her and she wants to do something that will leave a big footprint on this earth, with her name on it. Great minds think alike, because last year, when I was training for the Breast Cancer 3 Day, I constantly thought about the impact I could have, if I could just get one dollar from all the people driving and walking by.

It is no wonder that Jill was so compelled to promote funding for cancer research, even as she struggled through years of chemotherapy for her own illness. Jill lost many loved ones to cancer, and wrote about those experiences on the Komen website.

I have lost my surgeon to cancer and many friends. Also my parents. I turned to Komen 3 years ago because I lived the dream of hope and wanted to share. The first year is definitely the hardest, because of all the emotions that come into play and life style changes. Year number 2 is one of uncertainty. Every cancer survivor wants that year number 5. The magic number. Why do we count? Are we counting down the days, or counting the days we are alive. Before Cancer days didn't matter.

Sadly, Jill's days counted down, and on September 18, 2009, she was stolen from friends and family by this ferocious disease. But, her friend, Jennifer, continues to promote Jill's impassioned plea. What if everyone donated just one dollar to research for finding a cure for breast cancer? What if it was YOUR dollar that found the cure? What if it was YOUR dollar that saved someone's mother, sister, or daughter?

To Jill Haines, whose shoes I borrowed yesterday to run The Race for the Cure: they lifted me beyond a sore ankle and an aching knee. When discomfort challenged me, or self-doubt reared its ugly head, your shoes propelled me forward, and I considered the vastly greater discomfort of those twelve names that were listed on the back of my shirt. Even though it's likely we will have the distinction of being the very last runner to cross the finish line, still we made it, and I was so proud to take all of you with me.

But, one last race-related task needed attention. I needed to return Jill's shoes with appropriate gratitude. So, this morning, Jill's shoes are full of dollars in the form of a $100 donation to Komen in the fight against breast cancer.

Donate, donate, donate -- $1, $5, $10 -- it doesn't matter. Just click here. Cushion the way with dollars for all those who must travel a path fraught with breast cancer. The step you take by donating could be the one that finishes the race to find a cure!

To Emily Jean Thorn, Linda Ramsey Beam, Linda Jessee Mills, Libby Holter, Kaira W., Lynda Boyd, Vanny Mam Cain, Sue Michener, Tricia Keegan, Jennifer S., Betty Godby, and Jill Haines, thank you all so much for your inspiration and encouragement along the way. I will never forget you!

Here's to the next mile!

Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations to Diane, who contributed information for the story of Kaira W.'s fortitude, and the importance of breast self-examination.

Today, Diane, you are IN THE PINK as the winner of official Komen merchandise, a New Balance sackpack!

I'll be contacting you to obtain your shipping information.

Thanks for being such an important part of this effort!