Tag Archives: breast cancer blog

Two Sisters, Crew Sisters

When you start talking to Susan G. Komen Michigan 3-Day crew members Janine and Laurie, it doesn’t take long before you can tell without a doubt that they’re sisters. It’s not just the similarity in features and body language; the two women finish each other’s sentences and banter back and forth with playful ribbing that screams “siblings.”

susan g. komen 3-day breast cancer walk michigan day 1 crew sisters

Janine and Laurie, sisters and lunch crewmates

Originally from Boston, Janine and Laurie are two of ten children in their family. Janine now lives in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and Laurie calls the San Francisco Bay Area home. When I asked them how often they get to see each other, they replied, “At least once a year on the 3-Day®! That’s part of why we keep doing it, otherwise we wouldn’t get to see each other as much.”

Laurie, though the younger of the two sisters (Janine was good-humoredly offended at how quick Laurie was to point out who was older), is the more veteran 3-Day participant, with the 2014 Michigan 3-Day being her twenty-fourth event; she has walked eighteen times and crewed six times, including this Michigan event, and will walk again in San Diego this November. But Janine’s 3-Day experience is impressive too; she has walked seven times and this event marks her second year on the crew. Even hearing them try and itemize their 3-Day resumes (“No, you’ve walked eighteen times, not seventeen.” “Eighteen? Are you sure?” “How can I know this and you don’t know this?!”), their sisterly rivalry—though energetic and affectionate—is unmistakable. They shared stories about how last year, working a pit stop in Boston, their captain kept mixing up their names until the two ladies decided to write them in large black letters across their crew shirts, and another story about how one morning on the Arizona 3-Day, when Laurie was worried that they’d overslept, she let the air out of Janine’s air mattress right under her to get her sister moving. You can just picture them laughing through the whole thing.

Looking back at her long history with the 3-Day, Laurie recalls that she planned to take a break from walking after her third event. But then Janine was diagnosed with breast cancer. Laurie recalls what it felt like when her big sister shared the awful news: “I remember Janine said, ‘This is not supposed to happen.’ She took care of herself, she walked for other people with breast cancer [in the Race for the Cure] every year. It was like getting hit by a truck.”

susan g. komen 3-day breast cancer walk michigan day 1 crew sisters

Laurie and Janine

Laurie immediately knew she had to walk again. So she signed up again, trained and raised money. Janine’s birthday was on Day 1 of Laurie’s walk in San Diego that year, and she called her sister to tell her, “This one’s for you.” Janine’s response? “Next year I’ll be there with you.” The following fall, Laurie and two of their other sisters joined Janine on her first 3-Day, where she proudly walked as a survivor.

Fast forward to 2014, when Janine and Laurie arrived from opposite coasts to meet and crew together again in Michigan. I asked them what the 3-Day meant to them, and Janine’s response was perfection: “This is one of the most gratifying events anyone can do. Being able to share this with my sister is incredible. She really is my co-survivor. Even though she wasn’t physically with me through all of my treatment, she was always there for me. We celebrate every year. Two nights ago [when we arrived in Michigan] was 11 years to the day of being cancer free. So I celebrated with my sister. And then it’s a big party with everyone else joining! It’s tremendous. I have 2 daughters, I’m one of 6 sisters, and we have a whole mess of nieces and grand-nieces. Enough is enough. I get angry when someone else is diagnosed. If I ever think, ‘I don’t want to keep doing the 3-Day, I’ll take that time and money and go on vacation instead,’ I say no, not till this is done.”

Michigan 3-Day participants can look for Janine and Laurie at the lunch stop this weekend. Where you find one of the sisters, the other is sure to be nearby.

What If…?

A couple of months ago, a Susan G. Komen 3-Day® participant sent us the following piece, written by a friend of hers, Larry R., and we really loved the message it expresses. Larry has participated as a walker or crew member in over two dozen Komen 3-Day events, so he’s familiar with all the possible “what if” questions that one might ask before their first 3-Day®. We think he did a great job getting to the heart of why we walk and crew, and as we get ready to embark upon the first 3-Day event of the 2014 season, we think his advice will go a long way in turning those “what ifs” into “why nots.”

What If…?

For those about to walk for the first time, I thought this might help address those nagging questions:

I am so nervous! – Ok, you’re nervous. So what?
What if I can’t walk all the way? – Who cares? No one is keeping track but you.
What if I get a blister? – What if you do?
What if I don’t know anyone? – You’ll meet hundreds of nice people.
What if I packed too much? – You did.
What if I didn’t pack something? – You’ll live.
What if it rains? – You’ll get wet; you won’t drown.
What if there’s lightning? – You’ll be moved to a safe indoor location.
What if it’s cold? – You won’t freeze to death.
What if it is hot? – You’ll sweat.
What if I don’t like the food? – You’ll pass 472 convenience stores; you’ll manage.
What if I don’t like the porta-potties? – No one “likes” porta-potties. You’ll survive.
What if I don’t like the showers? – Ok, don’t shower. But check with your tent mate first.
What if I can’t sleep in a tent? – You’ll be tired; you’ll sleep.

What if…?

Enough already with the “What if’s?” You’ll do fine. Relax and enjoy the experience. Because of the money you’ve raised, money is going to go towards early detection programs. In a few months, a woman or a man is going to take advantage of one of those programs and is going to find out that they have breast cancer. But because of you, they will have found out early enough to get treatment—and to survive.

They’re going to watch their kids grow up, and be at their concerts and games. They’re going to go to their graduations and weddings. They’re going to get to see their grandchildren. All because of you. While they’ll never know it, you will know it. Any more questions? No?

 

Thanks, Larry! susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk blog what if larry

3-Day Wet Weather Walking Advice

The Susan G. Komen 3-Day® event staff is in Michigan, getting everything ready to kick off our first 2014 event. On Monday, we (and everyone in the greater Detroit area) were deluged by a record-breaking summer thunderstorm, resulting in flooding and a whole lot of very wet Komen 3-Day staffers. Naturally, this got us thinking about tips for walking in rainy weather, and while the forecast looks clear for the 3-Day® this weekend (fingers crossed, knock on wood, wish on a star)…

susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk michigan rain wet weather walking tips detroit forecast

Tuesday morning’s NBC 4cast. Looking good!

…we thought it would be a great time to talk about some strategies for staying as dry and comfortable as possible so you can keep moving. So I put out the S.O.S. (Save Our Shoes!) to the coaches and got some fantastic advice for how to trek through the tempests.

Keeping Feet Dry – Plastic Bag Method

  1. Heavily coat your clean, dry feet with your lubricant of choice (Vaseline, Hike Goo, Body Glide, etc.). Friction causes blisters, and friction increases in wet conditions; lubing up your feet well will help prevent this if they do get wet.
  2. Put on clean, dry socks.
  3. Put a clean, dry (are you sensing a theme?) plastic bag over each socked foot. Plastic grocery bags, small trash can liners or freezer bags work well. It’s best to use something that will cover up over your ankles and won’t bunch up in your shoes.
  4. Some people like to secure the bags around their ankles using duct tape, or by pulling a terrycloth wristband over their feet up to their ankles. The latter is easier to get off than tape.
  5. At this point, I also like to put on a second pair of socks over the plastic bags to keep them in place. It’s a matter of preference, and how comfortable you are with a thick layer inside your shoes.
  6. Put shoes on over bags (or over the second pair of socks).
  7. Bring extra bags, lubricant and socks so that you can reapply and change them along the way.

Your shoes will still get wet, but this method works great to keep your feet dry from the rain. That said, they may get a little sweatier than usual since they can’t “breathe” as well. The lubrication step and changing your socks/bags throughout the day are both really important.Komen_3day_rainy walking

Keeping Feet Dry – Duct Tape Method

Some walkers swear by duct tape as the best tool for keeping shoes and feet dry. I’ve personally never tried this, but one coach clued me in to the technique: “Just ‘mummy wrap’ your shoes. Start at the toes and wrap circles around the shoe (including the bottom) until you get up to the top. Wrap around the ankle and heel, doing the best you can to cover everything. You are basically covering every part of the shoe that might soak in water with a water protected cover. The water will bead off of the tape. Eventually as you are walking, the tape will wear off the sole of the shoe, but the top will stay on because it’s stuck on there. (It takes a long time for the tape on the bottom to wear off). It is surprisingly effective.” Obviously, this method would be a little tougher to replicate 2 or 3 times a day, but if you find something that works, go for it!

susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk michigan rain wet weather walking tips duct tape

A version of the duct tape method

General Tips

  • Disposable ponchos will run you about a buck each, and can be found in the camping section of any sporting goods store or Target/Walmart, so grab 2 or 3 for each day and tuck them into your pack. If it starts raining, pull out that poncho and wear it!
  • Bring two pairs of shoes (recommended even if it’s not raining). If you soak one pair one day, you’ll at least have a dry pair to start with the next day.
  • Speaking of soaked shoes, if your shoes get wet, cram them full of crumpled newspaper at night. They will be dry in the morning. Really, stuff as much newspaper in your shoes as you can. You may have to change it during the night once the paper absorbs the water; have some crumpled up and ready, and when you have to go to the bathroom during the night, swap out the newspaper. Ya know – since you’re up anyway.
  • Wearing pants—weatherproof if you can find them—is recommended to help keep the rain from running directly into your shoes.
  • If you wear glasses, wear a hat with a bill to help keep your glasses dry, and bring a cloth to dry your glasses so you can see clearly when moving down the route.
  • Just because your skin is being rained on doesn’t mean the water is going where it needs to. Remember to keep hydrated.
  • No cotton! Wear clothing made of dry wick material (including undies!).
  • High quality, seamless tights will prevent wet pants and thighs from rubbing and chafing.
  • A tight, long-sleeved base layer top will help keep you from chafing under the arms when wet.
  • A rain jacket that extends longer than your torso will help keep the majority of chafing-prone areas dry and comfortable.
  • Wear reflective gear, bright colors, vest or LED head lamp so cars will see you through the rain.
  • Beware of freshly painted curbs; they’re slippery.
  • There are a couple other rainy walking tips in our 3-Day Walking Hacks blog post.
  • Camping in the rain? There are a few good tips in our 3-Day Camping Hacks post too.

Like with everything, it is ideal to test out any of these methods or products before you get to your 3-Day event, but that’s not always possible. Do what you can, keep an eye on the forecast, and be as prepared as possible. This is a good time to remind you that the 3-Day generally continues whatever the weather, so you should be ready to walk and camp in inclement weather. If the weather gets so severe that it might compromise safety, the 3-Day has a thorough back-up plan for evacuating camp and relocating participants.

When all is said and done, just remember that your safety and health should be your number one concern (they’re our number one concern!), and don’t ever forget that your part in the 3-Day is invaluable – rain or shine!