FIGHT BREAST CANCER VIRAL CHALLENGE!

Today is the day the Komen Foundation is asking people from around the globe to make a promise to take action against breast cancer — all through social media. This global effort starts with all of us, posting to our Facebook and Twitter profiles, and then asking your friends and family to do the same - a viral day, if you will.

How does it work? Starting today, September 30, at midnight (EDT) until midnight October 1, we are kicking off Breast Cancer Awareness Month by asking YOU to visit http://www.69-seconds.org/. On the website, take action by clicking the Twitter Connect or the Facebook Connnect buttons! They will update your Facebook/Twitter statuses or blog using the hashtag #fightbreastcancer.

What is a “hashtag”? Hashtags allow you to quickly identify special topics, and help spread information while organizing and making it searchable within social media.

Why 69 seconds? Because that’s how often a woman dies of breast cancer somewhere in the world. A statistic we’re trying to change.

What’s the goal? We want to mobilize millions to take 69 seconds to #fightbreastcancer AND break the Guinness World Record for Most Widespread Social Network Message in 24 Hours.

 

How can you join the fight?

1. Visit www.69-seconds.org and take action!
2. Change your Facebook and/or Twitter status to one of the following:

•  Every 69 seconds, a woman dies of breast cancer somewhere in the world. #fightbreastcancer at http://69-seconds.org.
•  Today is not about raising funds. It’s about raising virtual voices around the world to take action in 69 seconds or less. Visit http://69-seconds.org, post #fightbreastcancer to Facebook and Twitter or blog about it before midnight and help turn the virtual world pink. How do you promise to #fightbreastcancer?

3. Use #fightbreastcancer in your statuses pertaining to breast cancer, Komen or Breast Cancer Awareness Month several times during the day!

 

4. And lastly, make your Facebook posts public for the day. Facebook recently overhauled their privacy controls for personal profiles which could potentially compromise our Guinness World Record. In order to be considered eligible for our attempt, your status must be open to the public. Here are instructions to help you make your status public:

• In Facebook, click on “Account” in the top right corner
• Scroll and select “Privacy Settings” in the drop down menu
• Under “Sharing on Facebook,” select “Customize Settings”
• Under “Things I Share,” select the drop down menu next to “Posts by me”
• Select “Everyone”
• Your status updates are now public

After midnight (EDT) October 1st, please be sure to change your privacy settings back to where you had them as we don’t want to compromise your privacy.

 

It costs nothing and takes just a minute of your time – or maybe 69 seconds. So blog about it, post it, tweet it, retweet it, use it in all your statuses and urge everyone you know to do the same.

 

Also: Antarctica is the only continent left on our almost pink map! Know anyone there? Tell them to #fightbreastcancer at http://69-seconds.org/!

Thanks for reading! ~ Deanna

Not Enough Pink!!!

The Atlanta leg of the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure walk is scheduled for October 22-24, 2010. As we all know, I have been training for this 60 mile journey and fundraising to meet the minimum requirement for this event since January. I have put myself through dehydration, blistering, walking in a downpour, begging people for money, sun burning, suffering through allergic relations, etc, etc, etc. AND I AM STILL GOING STRONG!!!


I was really REALLY proud of myself....until my husband started questioning my decision to participate in the 3-Day because the 11Alive News Team is advertising another walk that only lasts an hour, has no minimum donation requirement, and no training is required. He wanted to know why I didn't pick that walk instead. So, there I was having to DEFEND MYSELF for walking the furthest distance I can to put an end to breast cancer and help Nancy G. Brinker fulfill her promise to her sister, Susan G. Komen.

Needless to say, I feel defeated!

But, my defeat does not end there...You see, there is salt to rub into this wound. I watched the 11Alive Morning News on a daily basis. I added them as a friend on facebook. I was happy that Donna Lowry spoke about breast cancer often and Karyn Greer read from pink paper. I was even elated to learn that channel 11 has a "Buddy Check Reminder" that can be sent to your cell phone to remind you to check your boobies. I was inspired to hear Karyn Greer is participating in the "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" event at Atlantic Station on October 23, 2010....until I realized that not only was the "Making Strides" walk on the SAME SATURDAY I will be walking my second 20 miles, BUT channel 11 is designated as the Official Media Sponsor for BOTH events.

Can you guess which event they will be covering??? I did - it's not the 3-Day!

WHAT THE HELL??? Along with thousands of other walkers, I have been working so hard to meet these huge goals - raising a minimum $2,300 and walking 20 miles in a day only to find out that our media sponsor will be filming AT ANOTHER EVENT! 

I had such hopes that our efforts would be recognized, but no, instead, someone who just gets up on Saturday, October 23, 2010, decides "I'm going to fight breast cancer today," makes a $35.00 donation, and walks a mere 1.86 miles can be on TV and recognized for their contributions to the breast cancer cause by participating in the "Making Strides" event - while the thousands of walkers who have trained since January will walk 60 miles in media silence. How fair is that?

My feelings of defeat got so bad, I called the Coaches and asked them why our media sponsor is not supporting our event in the same way they are supporting the "Making Strides" event - you know: on air interviews with participants, coverage of preview parties, daily reminders of the event, etc., etc. You know what I found out? The contract for Atlanta's market only includes ads shown during the beginning of the year - the very same ads that got me rolling on the whole journey to begin with!!! ARGGGHH!!!

I stopped watching morning news. I now get up at 7 AM purposely missing all morning news. I can't take it anymore.

I have spent too much time, effort, and money training - buying training gear, waking up at 5:30 AM to drive 20+ miles to participate in team walks (on Saturdays & Sundays!), giving up several ENTIRE weekends to fundraise - just to wake up every weekday morning to see the news team blather on and on about how "you too can make a difference in fighting breast cancer by participating in this 3k..." while not even throwing a bone to our event.

I don't think I would be nearly as hurt or upset by this thing (because let's face it, the more people fighting breast cancer, the better) if the newscast would have at least acknowledged that the 3-Day existed or if the event they are promoting was on a different day. But, sitting there fully knowing that we can't get any TV coverage because other newscasts are not going to cover an event that is Officially Sponsored by a different station pisses me off. It angers me every time I see the 11Alive thing on my facebook, the pink boot in Wal-Mart, and hear my husband talk about the weatherman.

Granted, I didn't get into this thing seeking to be famous. I got into this thing to acknowledge that breast cancer needs to end. The whole point of walking this far and this long is to RAISE AWARENESS for this disease. Question is: How are 3-Day walkers in Atlanta supposed to raise awareness if our media sponsor refuses to cover the actual event? Just knowing how much has gone into training and fundraising and what not kills me. Then, knowing people like my team captain Michelle (who is in the process of completing her 3rd event) has raised awareness by flyers, talking to people, signs and banners instead of being able to tap into the greater Atlanta area news media because the 3-Day media sponsors are not as passionate about our 60 miles of walking as they are about their newscaster's 1.86 miles of walking, well that takes killing me with a daily dose of antifreeze to a stab in the heart.

Yet, it doesn’t end there….

There is also the fundraising end of things! I just checked the Making Strides site on Thursday, September 23, 2010 @ 10:18 AM. Guess what? Their reported TOTAL fundraising for this event is just above $130,000. The top 2 (that’s right, that's a TWO) Atlanta based 3-Day teams have risen just above $143,000 (as of Thursday, September 23, 2010 @ 10:24 AM) according to http://www.the3day.org/ site. Top fundraiser for Making Strides: $ 3,550.00; Top fundraiser for Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure: $12,980.00. My team, (a total of 23 people) have raised just over $52,000 for the 3-Day while Atlanta area Wal-Marts (that’s right Atlanta AREA Wal-Marts!) raised just over $41,000. Oh, and to make matters worse, my understanding is: "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" is an event to raise funds for the American Cancer Society and funds raised, while earmarked for breast cancer, can be used to help fight all cancers not just breast cancer.....

Yet, Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure event participants have yet to get major media coverage….. there is no pat on the back for walking 20 miles in a weekend while training. There is no – “wow, look these 23 people raised more money than Wal-Mart!” There is just our communities, our friends, our families, our teams and our blogs telling us how proud of our accomplishments they are. Unlike the Making Strides participants who are highlighted on the 11Alive Morning News on a weekly, if not daily (pink paper anyone?) basis. It completely makes me feel as if the outside world has yet to see the power of the Susan G. Komen Foundation and because of this other event, no one in Atlanta will. In other words, I am completely and utterly defeated.

Nancy G. Brinker wrote a post on September 21, 2010 called “Too Much Pink?” where she gives her views on whether or not there is too much pink in the world. She feels there isn’t enough pink – and in this case, I completely agree. There is pink in the 11Alive Morning News, there just isn’t enough……

Thanks for reading! ~ Deanna

Dallas Theater's Patron Appreciation Night

So, I had plans to attend our team's second Pirate's Night Out last Saturday, September 18th. I had a costume picked out and everything... Then on Friday evening, my plans changed. I was offered a table at the Dallas Theater's Patron Appreciation Night, a free show featuring Andy Offutt Irwin on Saturday. Along with the table, the Dallas Theater donated two tickets to Terror at the Dallas Theater, their haunted house event featuring a haunted history tour, a ScareMaze, and movies.

Here I am at my table at the beginning of the show:

Before the show started, they made this announcement:

"Want a chance to win a pair of tickets to Terror at the Dallas Theater, our haunted theater adventure? Well, all you have to do is make a donation to the Susan G. Komen Foundation to enter our raffle. You may have noticed Deanna Oaks sitting in our lobby on your way in. She is walking in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for a Cure – a 60 mile walk from Lake Lanier to Turner Field. Her main reason for walking:  1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Thanks to events like the 3-Day for the Cure, the Susan G. Komen Foundation has invested nearly $1.5 billion to end breast cancer, becoming the largest source of non-profit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world. Deanna is here to collect tax deductible donations, and every donation (no matter the value) qualifies for an entry to our raffle. Please stop by and make your donation tonight!"

After the show was over, people stopped by my table to enter the raffle.

A BIG (BIG) thank you goes out to the patrons of Dallas Theater, who donated $104.00 to the cause!!! I am so glad that I was asked to be in the lobby, and so thankful to live in a community that cares!

Thanks again Dallas!

Thanks for reading! ~ Deanna

Labor Day Weekend Highs & Lows

So, Labor Day weekend came along....and my mind said "Ooooo Holiday! I'm taking a break!" And this thinking has gotten me in trouble, I think....

Our team had 3 days of walks, all under 10 miles - one on Saturday, one on Sunday, and one on Monday. My plans for the weekend included taking Saturday off, to spend sleeping in and hanging out with my husband, walking and fundraising on Sunday, and walking on Monday. Notice I used the word "plans".....because my plans didn't become complete reality!

Of course, Saturday plans were a no brainer to complete in full.

After sleeping in on Saturday, I hit the ground walking on Sunday. The walk was an 8 mile loop from our normal meeting place through a HILLY neighborhood in a different direction than our normal routes. I really wasn't paying attention all that much while walking, except when we hit "the hill." This hill reminded me of the hills of San Francisco, although not as bad as California Street, I didn't think I could walk it, especially after walking for over an hour. But, I did! And, when we got to the top, I turned around to look back at what I accomplished, only to be disappointed because we'd walked through a curve and couldn't see the entirity of the incline we just walked. However, I knew what the hill looked like before I started, which made me so proud.

For some reason, I got this walk mixed up with the Monday walk which was 2 loops of 4 miles. So, when we arrived back at our cars, I thought we'd take a break and then walk the next 4 miles. How wrong was I? Wrong enough to be so surprised when everyone headed for their cars and the team leader asked for a ride to our fundraiser because we'd just completed 8 miles! Now, I was really, really amazed. Not only did I walk 8 miles thinking I'd walked 4, but the 8 miles I walked included a serious incline! Whoo-hoo!

So, I got in my car and drove to Disco Kroger for our canning fundraiser. For 3.5 hours, I stood/sat in front of Kroger asking people for money with 4 of my teammates. One of our teammates had already met her mininum, so we ended up splitting the take 3 ways. We made $ 404! So, I walked away with $ 135!

Sunday plans done - 8 miles and $135 dollars - I was on a high!

Monday's plans however, did not happen! I planned on walking....but sometimes the best laid plans just don't work. My body plotted against me, so in order to keep myself walking the long haul, I didn't walk. I know, it doesn't make sense, but then again it does. If this walk was the 3-Day, I would have walked, but being that I am just preparing for the 3-Day, I don't want to ruin my chances of not walking for the 3-Day by overpreparing! So, I ended the weekend on a low. Bummer!

But I know this trip is a journey that will include plenty of highs and lows, and through it, I will learn more about love, life, and laughter (along with learning about myself) than I will from any other accomplishment that I can think of in this moment!


Thanks for reading! ~ Deanna

Double Digit Back 2 Back!

During the weekend of August 28th,  I accomplished a milestone, that when I started this thing, I thought was highly improbable: I walked 10.2 miles on Saturday and followed it up with 10.2 miles on Sunday. But, then again, when I started this thing, I was alone, wait, that's not quite right, I was lonely, lazy and had weekends that consisted of sleeping in until 1 or 2 pm after staying up until 1 or 2 am the night before; and very little physical activity. Oh, how my life has changed!

I am now going to bed early every night, and getting up early every day - even on days when I am supposed to be sleeping in! I am meeting up with friends every weekend, bonded by a common cause: the end of breast cancer! I am pushing myself past where I'd normally stop partly because there are no sweep vans on training walks and partly because my newfound friends keep telling me I can do it. I keep proving them right too! Well, with the exception of Saturday.....I was supposed to walk 15 miles, but only walked 10 - mostly because I wanted to make sure I would walk 10 on Sunday.

To shake things up for the 15 mile walk, our team captains decided they would put together a scavenger hunt. Every 5 miles, we got a list of 10 items we had to find before we finished the 5 miles. The captains split the walkers between the North (Black) and the South (Pink) teams and received our scavenger lists.....here are photo results from the first 10 miles:

Photo 1: Squirrel
Black Team

Pink Team

Photo 2: Purple Flower

Black Team

Pink Team

Photo 3: Someone not walking with us wearing a breast cancer pink ribbon

Black Team

Pink Team

Photo 4: Black running shoe

Black Team's photo take with a cell phone - not pictured here....

Pink Team

Photo 5: Mother/Daughter

Black Team

Pink Team (These two are on the Pink team!)

Photo 6: Pink shirt

Black Team

Pink Team

Photo 7: Group picture in front of the carving

Black Team

Pink Team

Photo 8: Funny potty picture

Black Team

Pink Team

Photo 9: Police car

Black Team

Pink Team

Photo 10: Everyone walking like an egyptian

Black Team

Pink Team

Photo 11: Deer

Black Team

Black Team

Photo 12: Pink Flower
Black Team

Pink Team

Photo 13: Showing your safety badge to someone who is talking on their cell phone who is not walking with the group
Black Team

Pink Team


Photo 14: Pink running shoe
Black Team

Pink Team

Photo 15: Husband/Wife
Black Team

Pink Team

Photo 16: Black shirt
Black Team

Pink Team

I couldn't find this one in the photos...

Photo 17: Group picture of everyone hydrating
Black Team

Pink Team


Photo 18: Someone hugging a tree.
Black Team

Pink Team

Photo 19: Picture by the water wheel by the water fall
Black Team

Pink Team


Photo 20: Picture by a one way sign with everyone going in the opposite direction
Black Team

Pink Team

And that is where I pooped out! But, I must admit I wasn't alone - several of us carpooled, and there was a group of about 5 of us hanging out waiting for the troopers to get through the last 5 miles. There were more pictures, but there are so many pictures on this post, I'm giving up here too!

Sunday's walk wasn't as adventurous, although it was just as long. I kept going, even though I had PLENTY of chances to get back in my car and go home. We took several small loops around the neighborhood close to our cars - partly because several of us hadn't walked a back to back like that yet.

I just have so say that I am very proud of myself for this weekend....I still can't believe I have walked 20 miles!

Thanks for reading! ~ Deanna

Another Left At Albuquerque.....

It's been a few weeks, so I am posting a few this week to catch up....this post will tempt to recap my training walk on August 21, 2010.

I woke up on Saturday, August 21, 2010 at 5:30 AM and took my time getting ready. I was just sitting down with my peanut butter and honey sandwich at 6:05 AM when I get a text message from the training walk leader saying something along the lines of "see you in 10 minutes...." My first thought "well there goes my morning!" When I woke up, I thought the walk started at 7:15, not 6:15, so just like that I'm an hour late! My nice, relaxing morning became this mad dash through Hiram, Smyra, and Marietta to get to the walk. Luckily for me, I found a short cut a few weeks ago that cut my drive time from 45 minutes to 35 minutes, and I ended up meeting my team a mere 30 minutes (or 2 miles) into the walk.

I caught up with them by parking at an elementary school on their route and fell in step with the walkers without too much trouble. This walk was set up in loops - 7 miles for loop one and 7 miles for loop two. I completed the remaining 5 miles of loop one in what came to be pouring rain. My morning just kept getting better and better!

Most walkers fell off after the first loop due to the weather and various other committments, so for loop two, it was just Michelle and I. We started off, still a little wet, but drying out since the rain had stopped. Along the way, the bottom of my feet started tingling and I found out that I tied my shoes too tight. Apparently, feet swell when walking long walks and if you tie your shoes snuggly when you start, your feet may swell to the point of cutting off your blood flow. Such fun! When I stopped to retie my shoes, I also changed my socks only to find the beginnings of my very first blister - because my socks were wet! Whoo-hoo! I am on a roll!!

Since we were on our own, we depended on the map and GPS. Funny thing about GPS - when you are walking, you move too slow for the satellites to pick up the signal, so according to the GPS, we were in two different counties at the same time! And for some reason, we had the map upside down or something and ended up taking a left instead of taking a right, and didn't figure out that we had "walked off of the map" until we were past the map by just over a mile - so to get back to the route, we added 2 miles! Both a good thing and a bad thing - good thing because I ended up earning my 14 mile high along with my blister, but a bad thing because we had no choice but to finish it out - and I didn't even know if I could............

Good news is: I finished the 14 miles at Michelle's car and got a ride back to my car! Yey, something going my way today...but it didn't last long.

Once in my car, I started home only to get myself stuck on Barrett Parkway or should I say "Barrett Parking Lot"??? A two mile drive on Barrett took me close to an HOUR!!! Here we go again! And to keep the hits coming............Once I arrived home, I found an allergic reaction forming on my leg from something I sat in while changing my socks, 2 bug bites, and the blister that started earlier was the size of a dime.

Needless to say: I didn't walk Sunday!

Thanks for reading! ~ Deanna