THE KICKOFF

Well, its April 23, 2010. My wife's birthday is 2 days away. Our training has been going on - 5 miles here and there, you know the beat. I walked and trained last year, but I do not think you can ever train enough. I feel like I am in better shape this year than a year ago, but walk, walk, walk,and then we will walk some more.
Sunday is our kickoff for selling breast cancer items in front of department stores (with permission of course). 90% chance of rain. Not a good way to start. At least no snow!!! Our casino bus trip is planned - hopefully that will be a great success.
My last blog was called "WHY WE WALK". What we are about to do is go to that realization again. Remember 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer some time in their life. My wife is fine now, but remember 1 in 8. Talk to people. How many people do you know that have been touched by this horrid disease. Selling items to raise money for the
3-day only inspires me to do more.
Last year on Sunday during the walk, a woman in her mid 30's aproached us and thanked us for walking. We stopped to talk to her for a moment. She said her friend walked in it last year(2008). She was 38 years old. She then said her funeral was the day before. I went silent.
I think the Susan g. Komen 3-day walk is like a big shoulder. You have 1000+ people there to support not only the ones that are walking, but most importantly the ones that can't. I realy believe that it does lift up the spirits of breast cancer patients to know that someone does care.
Yes, I am a man, and there is not a lot of men who walk, but I am proud to wear a shirt that says "REAL MEN WEAR PINK"!! Not only do I want to support my wife, I want to help. By me walking 60 miles, or being out in the rain selling items to raise money for the walk,if I can influence 1 woman to get a mammogram that would not have scheduled one, then it was a great day. One thing I learned with breast cancer, EARLY DETECTION INCREASES YOUR CHANCES OF SURVIVAL, so don't take that chance.
Let's make breast cancer a thing of the past.

Thanks,
Michael

Why I walk

In my first blog, I printed a letter my wife wrote after treatment.
I just finished reading it again. I have to admit, during her treatment,
I knew she would be fine and she is today!! What I didn't realize then is that after 2+ years of her being a survivor, I would be planning my 2nd 3-day, 60 mile walk with her.(Cleveand 09',10').
It all started picking her up and being at the closing ceremonies from her walking at he Cleveland 08'.
As she walked in with the rest of the survivors, I had a huge wake up call.
My wife is a breast cancer survivor. She had DCIS. It wan't invasive.
She will be fine. But what if............
Its the what if that got me. Yes my beautiful wife had breast cancer and she is a survivor. I am lucky she is one of the survivors. But what about the others, the ones that can't walk. The ones that are going for treatments now. What pain are they in. Walking 60 miles can not compare.                                  
Last year, I became very involved in fundraising. We talked to a lot of people. There are a tremendous amount of great survivor stories that we heard. But that wasn't all. What about the ones that their journey on life ended. What about the moms and daughters and friends that this awful disease has taken. What about the ones that are struggling now.  1 in 8 are terrible odds. My wife is cancer free and I pray she stays that way.
I signed up with her at the walk last year for Cleveland 10'. We plan on walking and walking until breast cancer is a thing of the past.
How can we just sit there and not do anything. I encourage anyone, (including husbands) to do the wallk. It will change your life.
Yes, REAL MEN DO WEAR PINK!!!
Thanks,
Mike

A LETTER TO BREAST CANCER

My wife is a 2+ year survivor, and a week after she finished her radiation, she wrote this that I thought should be shared.

Dear Breast Cancer,
I know that you are busy uninviting yourself into hundreds of thousands of women’s lives each year, but I think you will find this letter a shock to your ego.
I want to thank you.
I want to thank you for arriving in my life while I am young, strong, and healthy to fight you.
I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity and the obligation to be knowledgeable about you for myself and for others that might not know of your dirty little secrets.
I want to thank you for opening my eyes to others that suffer at your insistence. May I lead them through and away from you.
I want to thank you for all the new people who have entered my life. My surgeon removed you and left but a trace of your existence. My radiation oncologist arranged it so that with only a slight burn to my skin, all your possible friends have left my body also. My oncologist is helping me fight your return with a simple pill I swallow everyday. Please let us not forget all the nurses, technicians and even office personnel who assisted in this battle against you by holding my hand, giving me a smile or encouraging word. I am in awe of all the survivors I have met who have inspired me and motivated me to always remain hopeful and positive.
I want to thank you for reminding me of the love my husband has for me that will never cease.
I want to thank you for a selfless mother who took care of me while you could only try to weaken me.
I want to thank you for the kindness shown to me in a variety of ways by family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, survivors and even strangers. I will cherish those memories forever as they are now etched in my heart.
I want to thank you for giving me a determination to walk 60 miles in 3 days to raise awareness and money in honor of your destruction. What a wonderful experience that I might have missed had you not entered my life. I will continue that trek each year until you are gone.
I want to thank you for eliminating the word fear from my vocabulary. You are life threatening. I looked you square in the face, fought you and won. What could I possibly be afraid of in this world?
I want to thank you for the many pleasures in my life that have been amplified upon your entrance. This includes: two weeks of vacation to do nothing but sit, sleep, and relax after surgery, a warm blanket before my radiation treatments, a sunset, the changing seasons, chocolate, diet coke, yoga, reading, napping, laughing, holding my pets, wearing the color pink or pink ribbons with pride, another Christmas, another anniversary to celebrate (survivorship), even waiting in line, making mistakes, and being embarrassed.
I want to thank you for helping me understand my priorities in life. I no longer need a bigger house, car or more money. I am grateful for time spent on myself, with friends and family to celebrate anything!
I want to thank you for renewing my faith. It has given me peace, comfort and assurance in the future. God is in control and so much bigger than you. You are but a pebble on my road that has come and gone.
I want to thank you for educating my mind, strengthening my body, and reviving my soul. I continue on to give, live, love and laugh. You have not and will not take that from me.

Sincerely, but never yours,
Tracy David