Strides for Breast Cancer

Awhile back I was asked to be a speaker at the Strides for Breast Cancer Association of Southwest Indiana meeting. 

I was incredibly honored to be asked to do this, and last night was THE night.

I wasn't nervous going into the meeting which is out of the norm for me because I'm not a fan of public speaking.  After I was introduced, got to the front, and looked at the 'crowd' (all but two seats were full at the front and people were standing in the back)...I realized it was being filmed.  Whoa.  I wasn't expecting that, and the nervousness set in.

I talked about my experience at having my first tumor and subsequent lumpectomy at the age of 20. That I had another one at the age of 24, and then six were found when I was just 27.  That I was only 28 years old when I had my bi-lateral mastectomy, and I stressed the importance of self breast checks because at the age I was, I had never gotten a mammogram.  I talked about all the women in my family that also have had breast cancer and how despite it being so many, all of us tested negative for BRCA. 

The community representative, Autumne Baker, did an excellent job.  She had finger foods and pink ribbon cookies for everyone to munch on. 

And in true spirit of what it was all about, she played Martina McBride's new song at the very end.  I'm not sure there was a dry eye in the house.

Kristin and I are co-captaining a Strides for Breast Cancer team for the walk on October 15.  (Kate I totally know this is your wedding date, and I PROMISE I WILL be there to see you walk down the aisle.  The walk is just 3 miles and it's in the morning.  :))  So, it'll be a FANTASTIC day.  I'll start it off by supporting one of the causes that is so dear to my heart and I'll finish it off by seeing one of my best friends marry the man of her dreams.  I mean, how could a day possibly get any better than that?!!!

Last year, October was a hard month for me.  I had just had my mastectomy, was going through reconstruction, and thing I wanted to escape from was EVERYWHERE I looked.  This year, it's going to be great.  I have two walks on back-to-back week-ends, a wedding I've been looking forward to for what seems like forever - haha, and it'll go down with a bang with me back into surgery for yet another reconstruction.  I'm okay with that because it means I have a month to get back up to par before Thanksgiving.  My FAVORITE Holiday of the year.  I'm pretty sure it started out being my favorite because it meant Aunt Becky was coming for a visit, and I still enjoy that, but I really just love reflecting in November about all the things I have had to be thankful for over the past year.  And let's not even get started on the food.  We'll just end by saying....it's when my oven/stove get used the most.  lol

Hope you all are having a blessed day!