Saturday, October 22, 2016

Making Strides

I want to tell you about the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk that I participated in last Saturday - Oct. 15th - & what an amazing experience it was for me. 


I had expressed some interest in walking to a few people but it just wasn't coming together. My husband had to work, I hadn't had the energy to fundraise, maybe next year. I wasn't planning on walking until my friend Lauren sent me a message on the 14th telling me she was planning on walking with me. Ok, cool! So it'll be me & her. Then another friend from church said she would walk. Then my friend Ali said she would be there & was bringing two of her friends from work. Then a woman I only knew on facebook from the Rustic Cuff page, Carressa, said she was coming. Carressa has had colon cancer & has been super supportive but we had never met in real life. She just wanted to know did I mind if she spread the word to our "cuff sisters" (women who are also into Rustic Cuff bracelets) who showed up in force! My husband got off work. Carressa found someone to make shirts in less than a week! This thing came together & came together fast! It was amazing! There were 20 people there to walk with Team #JerinaStrong - many of whom I had never even met! There were friends from church, work, old friends, new friends, cuff sisters, and my husband & children all walking with me & wearing shirts with my name on them. We laughed & talked & cried. At the end I was getting very tired but my team surrounded me, my husband took my hand, and we all finished together! It was an amazing experience & one I will never forget.






Not only was I blown away by the people that came out, but the support given to our fundraising efforts for the American Cancer Society knocked it out of the park! I raised $1,272 & our team raised $1,702! We were ranked #3 our of nearly 60 teams and I was the top individual fundraiser! It was an exceptionally emotional day for me. I was in tears a lot of the day. I'm very aware that not everyone has the support group that I do & I do not take it for granted how very blessed I am. I want to say THANK YOU to everyone that came out to walk & that donated. I will never forget that day! I want to use what I'm dealing with to help others & make a difference & I hope that I can continue to participate in this walk. Maybe I can walk with someone who is also thinking "maybe next year." 

3 comments:

  1. So glad that we were able to come together for you and all of the other brave people fighting this fight. You are so loved!

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  2. So glad I was able to be a part of this! I had not met you till that day and it was an amazing day! If you ever need me you know how to get ahold of me!

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  3. So glad I was able to be a part of this! I had not met you till that day and it was an amazing day! If you ever need me you know how to get ahold of me!

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