During my sophomore year of college, a friend invited me to volunteer with the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in Boston. A 39 mile, 2 day walk sponsored by the Avon Foundation, the event is held in 9 cities across the country to raise money for breast cancer research and ultimately, the discovery of a cure.
Transformative doesn’t begin to describe my first experience with the walk – filled with women who had survived, people who had lost the women in their lives to the disease, people who just wanted to help.
I have never lost someone close to me to breast cancer but I feel a profound connection to the cause. Perhaps because its victims are predominately female and because so, so many of the most important people in my life happen to be women.
I joined the crew team for a second year but was unable to travel back to RI from DC for the trip. This year, I wanted to walk but injured my knee enough to know that training for an almost 40 mile walk wasn’t going to be possible right now. So I decided to crew again, dedicating almost 72 hours to helping men and women who raise money, train and endure the difficult but incredibly amazing event.
I didn’t fundraise the first year, it isn’t required of crew. This year I set a goal for myself of $1000 – and I am still $620 shy of that goal.
I know I don’t know many of you who read this but I wouldn’t solicit unless it was for an incredible cause. Visit my donation page today if you are interested & thanks to everyone who already donated!