I officially joined the Kauker family in 1994.  Our combined family consisted of 16 immediate family members back then.  The family grew by one in 2000, by one more in 2004 and then by 3 more as nephews and nieces got married.  Many many birthdays and holidays were spent all together.  That tells you a lot about both families.  Our daughter, Danielle, is now registered nurse working night shift at St. Christopher’s Hospital for children in Philadelphia and engaged to be married in 2026.  David is now 21 years old and is a senior at Monmouth University.  Kathleen and I have been married for 31 years!  We had/have wonderful role models.  We experienced great joys and deep sorrows.  

In 2006, my Mother-in-law (Julia Kauker AKA Mama Tutu) was diagnosed with Inflammatory Breast Cancer.   We all became her support as well as support for each other.  Family gatherings became more precious and the bond between families became even stronger. In April of 2011, my Mother-in-law passed away, 6 months after her 70th birthday and just before our 17th wedding anniversary.  

I became a Susan G. Komen 3-day Philly volunteer in 2011, along with 7 year old David.  Eleven year old Danielle was on Youth Corp and Kathleen was a part of the whacky Philly Food Services crew.  We met our Pink Family.  This family supported the Kaukers as we all traveled on a journey that no one wanted to go on.  We listened as Danielle and her Youth Corp friends (many who are still very good friends today and several became nurses) told their stories of how breast cancer affected their lives.  We listened, we learned, we had tears in our eyes and we felt as one.  On later 3-day events, I was the unofficial “on-route” support as Kathleen and Danielle walked their first 3-day, David was on Youth Corp and Ken and Kris (Kauker) pedaled their way on their bicycles along the route.  We all even traveled to Michigan to do it again in 2017. 

This year, I am participating as an Event Support team member in Boston alongside Kathleen and David.  Danielle will be on the Medical team, Ken and Kris will be on their bikes on route safety.  On day 3 of the event, I will be putting my walking sneakers on and walking (for the second time) the last 20 miles in memory of my mother-in law (April 6, 2011), my father (11/27/2011), my father-in-law (02/28/2012) and my mother (11/09/2013).  They will all be watching over us as we walk and meet up with Danielle, Ken and Kris to walk that last mile to the finish line together. 

We did not want to join this Pink Family.  However, the support and the new found friends, made the journey through breast cancer and a broken heart, prostate cancer and Alzheimer a little bit easier.  Our Pink Family was with us through deep sadness and life events.

Komen funded a clinical trial specifically for Inflammatory Breast Cancer through the efforts of walkers and crew before us.   We are paying it forward.  We are making sure that others have a lifetime of memory making. 

Please support me as I join my family and commit to this 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 and radiation.  It's not as hard as getting bad news at your latest scan.  It's not as hard as saying goodbye.   And that is why I know I need to do this.  This is why I am crewing and walking and why I'm raising money - to end breast cancer - to end all cancer forever.

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