Why I Walk

There are moments in life that divide everything into “before” and “after.”

For me, that moment was hearing the words, “You have breast cancer.”

I was a wife, a mom, a grandma, a daughter, and a woman busy living her life when cancer suddenly became part of my story. What followed was one of the hardest journeys I have ever faced. My cancer was somewhat aggressive and had spread to my lymph nodes. I underwent a double mastectomy, lost every lymph node under my left arm, endured 25 rounds of radiation, several surgeries, and the emotional toll that comes with wondering what the future will hold.

Cancer takes so much from you. It takes your sense of security. It takes your confidence. It takes your energy. It steals sleep, creates fear, and changes the way you see yourself and the world around you.

But it also teaches you things. It teaches you how strong you are when you don’t think you can take another step. It teaches you to appreciate ordinary moments—the laughter of your children, the hugs from your grandson, the comfort of your dogs curled up beside you, and the simple gift of waking up to another day.

There were days when I was terrified. Days when I cried. Days when I felt exhausted physically, emotionally, and mentally. Yet somehow, I kept moving forward, one appointment, one treatment, one day at a time.

Today, I am incredibly grateful to call myself a survivor.

But survivorship doesn’t mean the journey is over. The scars remain. The memories remain. The worries sometimes remain. Every follow-up appointment, every new ache or pain, every milestone reminds me of what cancer tried to take and what I fought to keep.

That is why I walk.

I walk for the women who are sitting in a doctor’s office right now hearing the same devastating words I once heard.

I walk for the families waiting, hoping, and praying.

I walk for the survivors carrying scars both visible and invisible.

I walk for those who are no longer here to walk beside us.

And I walk because research, early detection, treatment advances, and support programs save lives. They helped save mine.

If my journey has taught me anything, it’s that none of us should have to face breast cancer alone.

Thank you for supporting me, supporting my team, and helping create a future where fewer families have to experience the fear, pain, and uncertainty of breast cancer.

Every step matters. Every dollar matters. Every life matters.