Walking for a cure

This weekend my "curly headed sister from another mister" Amber Lindemann, heads to Chicago with her actual sister Brianne. The two of them will be walking a total of 60 miles in 3 days participating in the Susan G. Komen 3 day walk for the cure. 20 miles a day. I asked Amber if she would write a guest post(s) on my blog when she got back. I knew she would have lots of stories and pictures to share. I was so excited that she accepted and will be sharing the story of her walk with us. She was nice enough to do a "pre-walk" trip report. I gotta admit when she first told me she was going to do this I thought she was a little crazy. I was proud of her, but still 20 miles a day for three days? That's nuts. Then I read this. Now I get it....

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1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. 1 in 8.

I remember the day last fall....a close friend of mine, a fabulous woman sat in my living room and told me she had an aggressive form of breast cancer. I cried, and I felt helpless.....She is the strongest person I know, and is continuing her battle with a smile. She is so much stronger than me because I know I could never endure what she has and still laugh and smile. She is an amazing woman that I am lucky to call a friend.

In March, I signed up to walk in the Susan G Komen 3-Day for a Cure. If I could do nothing else to battle this disease, then at least I can help raise money for funding to search for a cure.

I took the fundraising challenge head on and within a month had raised the entire $2,300 fundraising minimum. My sister Brianne was inspired and signed up to walk with me. She had her $2,300 goal met a few weeks after me. Thank you to everyone who donated anything to us. Everyone was so generous. Our Bingo fundraiser was a HUGE hit and I hope to walk again next year and have another Bingo night!

The 3Day is a fundraising event held in 15 cities across the U.S.A. We chose Chicago on August 6, 7, and 8th.

We will gather together with 2,500 other walkers and walk 60 miles in 3 days. We'll camp along the way and shower in semi trucks. 3 days without indoor toilets..... We'll camp in hot pink tents and eat under the blue sky. It is going to be such an empowering 3 days, meeting survivors, and unfortunately walkers walking in memory of those who didn't survive. I'm sure I will cry more tears this weekend than I'll be able to count, but the Chicago walk alone will raise more than 5 million dollars for a cure.

I CAN walk 60 miles in 3 days. I'm sure I'll get plenty of blisters, but as much as blisters will suck, chemo is worse. I'd much rather walk any distance than fight Cancer.

I'd walk for anyone and am walking for everyone. I'm walking for Wanda. I'm walking for you, for your family, for your mothers, and aunts, sisters, and friends. I'm walking for your daughters. I'm walking for MY daughter, who I hope can grow up in a breast cancer free world.

I'll post updates for days 1, 2 and 3 when we return.

Thanks again for everyone's support!

Amber (walking in honor of Wanda Snyder)
Brianne (walking in memory of Lisa Massey-French)

Team "Saving Second Base....one step at a time"