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Cancer Walk 3 Days without Mom

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in all woman and one out of nine women in the United States will develop it in her lifetime. On the weekend of July 28, over two thousand people took part in the Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day walk to Golden Gate Park and helped raise $6.2 million for breast cancer health programs and research. Angela Ettinger was one of them, and here is her story. **************** Cancer Walk- Three Days without Mom by Angela Ettinger Well I did it! I walked 60 miles from De Anza College to San Francisco! It was difficult but a truly incredible experience. I have tried to explain the power of the 3-Day to a few people and it seems my explanations fall flat so I decided to share it in little bites: You know you are on a 3-Day when a gas station restroom seems like luxury. You know you are on a 3-Day when dozens of people are dressing their blisters and not one is complaining. It’s a 3-Day when a combination of Gatorade and water seems like the best beverage you’ve ever tasted. You know you are on a 3-Day when children squirt you with water and it brings tears to your eyes every single time. You know it’s a 3-Day when you are thinking about sore feet until you see the man next to you massaging his stump. You know it’s a 3-Day when policemen you don’t know volunteer so you can safely walk to help people you’ll never meet. We walked 24 miles on Friday. We started walking at 8 am and I didn’t make camp until 7 PM! At about mile 22, I developed big blisters on both feet and was reduced to heel walking at camp. Camp had lights off policy at 9 p.m. so I was scrambling to get gear, take a shower (in a truck) and eat dinner before the lights went out. I needed every minute. The next day, my tent partner, Maggie, helped me dress my blisters and we were off for a 16.5-mile hike of hills and views. She so cleverly covered my blisters that the walking was fine. We arrived in camp at 4 p.m. and were grateful to have more time to set up tent, get gear, etc. The problem was that it was really cold, windy and foggy. It was estimated at between 35-40 degrees and was so wet that when the wind blew it rained inside our tent. B By morning, everything not covered in plastic was wet. Day 3 and we were excited to finish this walk. Unfortunately, even Maggie’s magic couldn’t erase the blisters and I walked 20 miles in pain. Maggie’s feet were worse than mine and she accepted rides from the “sweep” vehicles most of the way. I was determined to walk every foot myself. If I didn’t make it to the finish line by 4:15, they would force me to accept a ride. With Maggie in the van, I had only my blisters for company. After lunch in Golden Gate Park, I hooked up with a bunch of walkers and suddenly, all these cars began honking and waving. It was really amazing! Suddenly, I found strength and speed and began walking faster than ever. At 4 p.m. I reached the finish line and walked between an arch of walkers clapping and cheering. One walker ahead of me said, “You know, for once in my life, I think I deserve this!” I decided I did too. They told us this walk could change our life. Did it change mine? I think so. No, I am not thinner—I actually gained weight (no justice for the weary). The way I look at things has changed. I am grateful for the big and little things in my life. I am grateful for a body that allows for occasional punishment. I’m grateful that I get to see my husband and kids nearly every day. I’m grateful that I don’t normally have to stand in line to brush my teeth. I’m thankful that I can shower in privacy and use toilets that flush. I’m grateful that I usually walk pain-free. I am grateful to sit in the evening and listen to the crickets. I am grateful to all the people who sponsored me, walked with me and gave me emotional support. To my book group, I am grateful that you all believed I could actually do it! When I think about it, there is literally no end to the things I am grateful for… Postscript: As I was getting ready for my 3-Day breast cancer walk I wondered why we had to walk for three full days. My friends had done a 26-mile walk for the leukemia society that lasted just one day and they raised more money than I did. Money was not the issue. The week before the walk, I spend lots of time with my children. I played countless games of Connect Four with Samantha and very slyly let her win. She would look triumphantly at me and say, "Mom, you just need to pay more attention." After one rousing defeat, she whispered, "Mom, don't worry, next time I'll let you win." My son had saved allowance money and while I was walking, he went to buy his first Nintendo game. I knew I would miss the look on his face when he got it going for the very first time. I would miss my daughter's laughter and delight as she beat my husband at Connect Four. We had a last a minute childcare problem for the Friday of the walk. Other walkers had husbands complaining about childcare arrangements and it seemed our families couldn't handle us being gone for even one day. It then dawned on me that the 3-Day was a little sampling of life without mom. I knew that during those 3 days I would miss my family terribly and vice versa. But unlike all the women who die of breast cancer each year, I knew I would be back. The author, Angela Ettinger, lives in San Jose with her husband, Jeff, and two school-age children. When she is not working part-time as a psychiatric intake worker, shuttling the kids to activities, or taking care of the house, she finds time for an occasional walk. She took part in the Breast Cancer walk after finding out about the lack of funding it receives and as an opportunity to reinvent herself. Her mother died of throat cancer. Angela can be contacted at jamase@mindspring.com

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If you are interested in the 2001 walk - check out www.breastcancer3day.com just click here