My First Donation!

So yesterday, I finally sent out my first group of fundraising letters.

I was so worried about the reactions at first, but decided that this is too important to get hung up on what "might" happen and just worry about what "does" happen. IF (see, it is a very big IF...) I get anyone complaining about my journey, I will just explain to them what is in my heart and go from there. Nothing can compete with love, so I think I am all good there!

And this morning I woke up to find DONATIONS!!! I am so very blessed and grateful!!! (Thanks Aunt Sarah!)

With this new found confidence, I have also decided to write a press release and send it to the local paper, in the hopes that my community will also support me in my journey! Here's hoping! :)

Thanks for reading! ~ Deanna

Another Walk Under My Belt!

Yesterday, my husband decided to help me with my training, and took me for a wonderful walk through the park.

Our walk wasn't an official training - like the ones you can find on the3day.org website, but I did walk over a mile with some changes in elevation.... all good in my book!

Thanks for reading! ~ Deanna

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The Fundraising Letter

Here I am struggling to write my fundraising letter.

I have two obstacles:

1. Asking people for money is something I don't do easily. As an accountant, I know how money works, and how the lack of it affects others. Yet, as part of my journey, I also know that money raised is used to support research, breast cancer patients, screenings, and education that the Susan G. Komen foundation is known for.

2. As a Catholic involved with the Church, I find myself in the midst of controversy. The Catholic Church had to pull their support of Susan G. Komen due to their involvement with Planned Parenthood. In my dealings with the Susan G. Komen 3-Day, I have learned that the INTENTION of their involvement with Planned Parenthood is to screen women who are at a greater risk for breast cancer due to lack of medical insurance and abortion. Now, while I agree with the church in that abortion is wrong, I will not ask another woman to carry my beliefs, as I am not in their shoes. But, I also agree with the Susan G. Komen Foundation's support of screening women in a place where they are receiving medical care - even though that medical care caused their higher risk.

What do I say to my family who agree with the Catholic Church? How to do I ask people who don't have a lot of money to help me reach my goal of raising $2,300?

I am working on it, but it is slow going.... so slow!

Thanks for reading! ~ Deanna

Let the Training Begin!!

Saturday, March 30, 2013 was "Walk in the Park Day" - and Michelle, team captain and a Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure Training Walk Leader, decided it would be a good idea to lead a training walk in Stone Mountain Park  -- around the mountain. For those of you who don't know, the loop around the base of Stone Mountain is 5 miles - that's right, FIVE miles!!! I can't believe that right out of the gate, I was going to tackle a 5 mile walk, but I showed up!

Since I trained with Michelle 3 years ago, I knew what I was getting into, sorta. I'd walked the mountain before, knew I could walk at whatever pace was comfortable, and understood where the bathrooms were (which is absolutely key when staying hydrated!!). There was only one thing I didn't count on... Having a baby changed me in ways I never thought of: I don't walk the same as I did 3 years ago; I don't have the same stride or the same core. Muscles that were there working fine the last time I walked the mountain, well, they weren't there anymore, or they were there stretched out from the birth and/or limp from lack of use.

Needless to say, the walk didn't go as well as I remember it going, way back when. Hmmm... Now that I think about it the thing I had going for me last time was that chose to walk at the slowest pace possible. This time I was walking at full speed, "catching up" with friends (family really) I hadn't seen in a few years. I didn't even realize how fast I was walking until mile 3.5 - and by noticing it I should say I stopped myself from puking like Jackson on The Biggest Loser. But, like him, I persevered and finished out to mile 5. Also like him, when we finished, there was a cameraman there waiting to talk to us about the walk and put us on TV!!

Michelle was interviewed for Fox 5 News Atlanta in order to drum up support for the Susan G. Komen 3 Day For the Cure, an interview that aired at 6 PM as well as 10 PM Saturday evening!!! Go Team!!

What a way to start training: a 5 mile walk uphill and downhill (both ways?) followed by an on-camera experience.... WITH THE BEST GIRLS EVER!!!! Thank you ladies!! We did it!!!

Thanks for reading! ~ Deanna

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My Welcome Back!!!

So the same day I received the notice to get my first ever mammogram, I also received my Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure Welcome Kit!!

So apropos, right? I mean, here I am walking 60 miles to end breast cancer WHILE I am doing my best to prevent it!

Go me!
Thanks for reading! ~ Deanna

I AM BACK!!

Boy how my life has changed since I walked The 3 Day in 2010!!!

A month after the 2010 event, I found out I was pregnant. Nine months later, I gave birth to a baby girl, Nikki. Needless to say, the 2011 3 Day event was out of the question - I was still enjoying maternity leave when the Atlanta event happened. When the 2012 3 Day event came around, my husband, Nikki and I were still learning the ropes of being a new family and ironing out work schedules. We just couldn't figure out a way for me to train for 8 hours a day with an infant/toddler - especially with a "No Strollers Allowed" training walk rule. Nikki is as cute as a button, especially all decked out cheering on 3 Day walkers, but after about an hour in the stroller she is a raving maniac. Who could blame her?? Not me. And who can blame anyone for making a "no stroller" rule - I sure don't like walking with a screaming baby in a stroller!! So, I took some time off from walking  - 3 years seems like such a long time - but now I am ready to take on this amazing journey yet again....

With the BEST team EVER: Treasured Chests (Atlanta) - such good friends and co-conspirators are hard to come by so I AM NOT LETTING GO!!! This year, we have set our sights high!! Our team has a fundraising goal of $60,000. My personal fundraising goal is $2,300, until I reach it.....

I am praying I achieve my goals, especially with all the controversy I have already come across....Pray with me. Or even better yet, JOIN ME. Then again,  you could always DONATE!

Thanks for reading! ~ Deanna

I USED to hate pink.....

Back when pink meant Barbie dolls, princesses, and run down houses in the mid-West. Back when wearing pink meant you were a frail little girl that needed people to watch over you or worse yet, a guy trying to be Don Johnson. Yeah, I used to hate pink.
But, that was before I understood that pink has power…..
Pink, the washed out version of red I disliked so much, is a far deeper color than I ever could have imagined: full of inspiration, perseverance, and strength. It has the ability to overcome huge obstacles and obtain huge goals. It offers hope. It shows solidarity. It has many shades, and an ever-changing presence. This version of pink is the pink I was introduced to at Closing Ceremonies of the Atlanta leg of the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure! It is a color I have grown to love.
Pink is inspiring because it was on every sign held by people cheering us on. It was worn by every walker in front of me – showing me that I wasn’t alone and if they can do it, so could I.

Pink can overcome obstacles because every walker wearing pink overcame something to get to closing ceremonies. For me, those obstacles were: a month long reaction to antibiotics & a battle with dehydration during training and a shin splint at mile 25 while on event.

Pink can offer hope because every walker wearing pink raised at least $2,300.00 to fight breast cancer. $2,300.00 dedicated to breast cancer survival, screening, and research – a total of $6.1 million raised by the 2,400 walkers and 350 crew members in Atlanta.

Pink obtained huge goals – 60 miles over 3 days…..

Thanks for reading! ~ Deanna