A cause worth Walking for!

Today, I received a letter in the mail. It was from a cousin who will be walking 60 miles in the Breast Cancer 3-Day in the Twin Cities. She will be raising money for the Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation and the National Philanthropic Breast Cancer Fund. It's a weekend of hope, as we honor lives lost, celebrate survivors, promote breast cancer research and help bring breast cancer care to those who so desperately need it.

I get a lot of these kinds of letters through email and snail mail all the time. I usually just pitch it in the trash or hit the delete button. But, not this time.

4 years ago, my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. The doctors went in and removed one of her breasts in order to remove all of the cancer.

Last November we got a phone call. My sister's back had been hurting her and she could not sleep. She went to the doctor and they ran some tests. It turned out that her cancer had returned, this time with lasting effects.

My parents immediately left to be by her side as the doctors continued to take samples and tests to see where the cancer was. If it was cancer and how bad it was.

It was bad.

She is in stage 4 breast cancer and it has spread throughout her body. Liver, lungs and back/spine. She underwent radiation treatments while my parents were with her and is still undergoing chemo. The doctors can only do so much. She will eventually die from this disease.

She is struggling. She is sick. She is tired. She is in pain. She is trying to survive.

I started watching my friends daughter to earn some extra cash. Last week when she came to pick her up she brought a box in with her. Inside the box was 4 t-shirts. My friend is a scrapbook designer for a company called Rusty Pickle and they just came out with these shirts that say, 'Pickled Pink.' She brought one for my mom, one for my two sisters and one for me. After she left I cried. I cried because it is an overwhelming feeling to know that someone you love is hurting. Is sick. Is dying. She said that she wanted to do something for us, but didn't know what. In that moment she did more for us....me than she can imagine.

I am honestly not writing this for pity. I have been wanting to "journal" this for a long time, but did not know how to do it. I guess the letter that I received today, did it.

My sister has been wanting to come home for weeks and visit, but the doctors advised against it. They wanted to make sure she was well enough and that her treatments were working. She is coming home. In a few weeks. I am more than excited.

I know there are many of you who are hearing this news for the first time. To tell you the truth there are only 5 girls...my closest friends that I have told. I am sure the rest have heard through my parents, and the grapevine. I don't like to talk about it. It makes me sad. It makes me cry. It makes me angry.

Those emails and letters that I have received in the mail, that was sent straight to the trash. I am sorry. Most people do not pay much attention to things unless they have experienced it themselves or know someone who has. That is me. It is sad. Ben and I have decided to donate some money for BC research. Hopefully, our little bit will go a long way.

Thank you to everyone who have been a support to our family during this trying time. Thank you for the letter and your time to help raise money for such a great cause.....I want to help too! Thank you for the t-shirts. Thank you for your love. Thank you!