I was 2 when Nana was diagnosed with Inflammatory Breast Cancer.  I don’t remember much about that time.  I look at pictures and think that I remember – but I really don’t.  Because of a clinical trial, supported by Susan G. Komen and funded by many, many walkers and crew members like myself, I got to remember and make memories with my Nana and PopPop.  She passed away when I had just turned 7 and I remember.  On Friday, October 14, 2011, 6 months after Nana passed away, I got up way earlier than my classmates and stood at a silent cheering station handing out Mama Tutu angels that I helped to make earlier in the year.  Pink family members helped my family organize this cheering station in memory of my Nana.  Thousands of walkers clipped Tutu angels to their backpacks and many are still being carried today.   I volunteered at many Philly 3-Day events until I was old enough to be a member of the Philadelphia Youth Corp.  I was 10 and joined 14 other kids my age who were also affected by breast cancer.   We stood on stage in front of hundreds of walkers and crew members.  We openly cried as we shared our own personal stories.  I participated in the Philly YC several years and even traveled to Michigan to be a part of their YC.  In 2019, I walked my first walk.  This year, I am joining my family in Boston.  My sister, Danielle, will be joining the Medical team, my tutu uncles will be on the Route Safety team (I think this will be their 17th year and I’m not sure how many events… They’ve done multiple events in a year) and my dad, my mom and I will be on the Event Services team but only for two days.  On day 3, we will walk the last 20 miles.  We will meet up with Danielle and my uncles and walk that last mile to the finish line.  Nana (April 6, 2011) and PopPop (February 28, 2012) will be “walking” with us.  I know my mom will cry.   I know that we are paying it forward… our steps and your support will help families like mine make more memories and have more Time.

Komen and the thousands of 3-day walkers and crew members, (before we even knew about Susan G. Komen), raised the funds to support the clinical trial specifically for Inflammatory Breast Cancer.  This trial gave us Time; time to make 5 more years of memories, time to celebrate more birthdays and anniversaries.  Time to go to Disney to celebrate Nana’s cancer free anniversary.  Time to love longer…..

Please support me as I commit to an incredible challenge. The Susan G. Komen 3-Day is a 60-mile walk over the course of three days. It will be hard, but it’s not as hard as breast cancer. It’s not as hard as chemo. It’s not as hard as getting bad news at your latest scan. It’s not as hard as saying goodbye. And that’s why I know I have to do this. That’s why I’m crewing and walking and why I’m raising money – to end breast cancer forever and give a lifetime of memories.