Breast Cancer Awareness Month

You will be hearing and reading a lot these next few weeks about breast cancer as October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This may or may not mean much to you although it’s likely that just everyone at least knows of someone who has been diagnosed with a disease that claims a life somewhere in the world every 69 seconds. It has special significance in our family as my wife Jane is a breast cancer survivor and each year she assembles a team of family, friends and co-workers to walk in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer fundraiser in Point Pleasant Beach with this year’s event set for Sunday, October 16th.

Our son Brandon (pictured above) was a high school senior when his mother underwent major surgery and he witnessed first-hand her recuperation. Last year both he and our daughter Alex surprised us by showing up to walk with their mother but when the opportunity came to do even more he jumped at it. Brandon works for Edelman, a world-wide public relations firm, in their New York office. Months ago the company announced they were looking for employees to represent them in the Susan G. Komen 3 Day for the Cure in Washington DC, a three-day 60 mile walk which is one of 14 held nationally during the year. Brandon had to write an essay about why he should be among those selected and he of course talked about his mother and how this would be a tribute to her. He was chosen along with 23 others from several Edelman offices, including New York, Washington and Atlanta. Next was fundraising and he met his quota by reaching out to family and friends as well as collecting tips as a special bartender at a place in Hoboken that is owned by a friend.

Anyway the walk took place this past weekend and it began Friday morning in a torrential downpour which never really let up. He managed just fine although quite of few of the 2500 walkers who started never made it past that first day. Jane and I headed down to Washington to show our support and we spent several hours’ right by the Washington Monument on Sunday watching walkers finish…many in tears as their journey was a tribute to someone who did not beat the disease. Around 3pm Brandon and his Edelman crew crossed the line in their pink shirts and Jane could not wait to hug him. During an emotional closing ceremony we would learn that the Washington 3-Day raised $7 million and later found out that Edelman’s $88,000 was the largest of any single group. He had some great stories to tell and wants to do another “3 Day” in the future in a different city. Wherever he goes his mother will be at the finish line and that my friends is the moral of this story.