Ready to walk again and I need your help!

I lost my mother to breast cancer 27 years ago in September.  She was 48 and I was 22 at the time.  She battled the disease for 7 long years until she lost the fight, September 5th, 1995.  It is hard to believe that it was so long ago.  Even though a lot of time has passed, the sadness and disbelief still remain.  My mom was lucky to see me graduate from UCLA before she passed away 3 months later.  But she never met Ryan, my husband, who has been my loving partner in this crazy life we have created together.  She has never met her 6 beautiful grandchildren, each so different in their own ways, but at the same time united in their similarities, one being their grandmother.  They each hold a piece of her in their unique characteristics.

My own life has been so shaped and touched by her in countless ways.  I know my fiery and passionate personality, and my sense of humor were all inherited from her.  Every Christmas, I bake her Finnish coffee bread. I have prayed the Finnish prayer she said every night in my childhood to my children. And I know that she continues to watch over me in all my endeavors. My children are at the age where they are asking questions and seem eager to know their grandmother.  I feel like now is the time to go ahead and be a part of this amazing fight against breast cancer.  This walk represents so many feelings, thoughts, and emotions, but it also is a way to fight for and honor others that I love who have battled this battle... my Aunt Marji-Liisa, my grandmother Irene, and my mother-in-law, Terri, as well as all the other warriors who have faced this disease.  I walk, because I can, especially when others can't.  I am grateful for this amazing opportunity to give back and thank you so much for helping and supporting me in this journey.  It means the world to me.

In order to be able to walk, I will need to raise $2,300 by the time of the walk, November 18th. If you choose to donate (and thank you for taking that step!), I will also ask you to double check if there is any chance that your company or place of work, will match donations.  This is such an easy way to give back even more.  If you are unable to donate, I would love for positive energy, thoughts, and prayers to be sent this way.  Lots of love

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