A challenge!

Breast cancer effects 1 out of 4 women! It's a statistic, a number, a fact! If you sit for dinner with 3 of your closest girlfriends, 1 of you will be affected by cancer! What can we do to make a difference?

My mother is a 10 year survivor.

In 2004 I walked in at Susan G. Komen, 3-day, 60 mile walk. I I walked in the Michigan 3-day with my best friend from childhood. She and I committed to the event, raised the funds, and pushed each other on through days 2 & 3 when we each took turns wanting to stop.

In 2005 I decided to again push myself and I walked in the Tampa 3-day. While the Michigan walk caused me no blisters, the Tampa walk ended up in the middle of a monsoon! Blisters galore! :-) A small price to pay to work toward a cure of this horrible disease! During the walk, I met a new friend, who's mother is also a survivor. We again supported and motivated each other to the end.

These events changed my life! I discovered I could push past the pain and that there is something greater than my own needs and feelings.

A few weeks ago, I lost a sorority sister to Breast Cancer. She was 39 - she didn't even make it to her baseline mammogram! A day or two after her passing, I committed to yet another 3-day! I will be walking in the Tampa 3-day again this coming October 28-30th. I won't be doing it alone. My friend Tammy, from the first Tampa 3-day will join me as will my high school friend, Julie.

I feel very blessed to know that we will be taking on this challenge together to help motivate and support each other through this.

My utmost prayer is that we can figure out how to PREVENT this disease, so we don't need a cure!

My challenge to you is to make ONE lifestyle change this month that will improve your health and wellbeing. That change could be as simple as adding an additional fruit or veggie exchange to your daily diet to thinking more possitive thoughts on a continuous basis.

I would love for you to post what you choose to accept as your personal challenge to improving your life! - My change for this month is to begin training for my 3-day and to make it a regular occurance - I started with a 7 mile walk this morning!