Wake up at 5:00 AM and prepare for another special Mother’s Day and help raise money for Susan G. Komen and the cure! This has been the way my family has spent most Mother’s Day for the past 16 years.
The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on Mother’s Day began 21 years ago. We are so fortunate to have this special day every year in Philadelphia. Along with the thousands of participants, the memorials and celebrations, the amount of money raised for this special day is incredible to help find a cure!
The first year I was diagnosed with Breast cancer was in 1995. That year I asked for my Mother’s Day “gift” to have my husband Gary and my 3 sons Sam, Sean and Jeremy to all run the 5K with me in the Race for the Cure. We made it into a fun time by going out to dinner in the city the night before (need to fill up on those carbs!) and sleeping over in a hotel. We’d wake up early on Sunday morning and make our way to the race. We were all so happy when that was over but we did it and always crossed the finish line together, helping each other (o.k. mostly me!). Over the years we had the addition of our yellow Labrador Cody to join us as he strutted his own tee shirt and bandanna. Then off to eat brunch in the city, somewhere we could sit outside so Cody could have his order of scrambled eggs too because he earned them!
These are and always will be the best memories of Mother’s Day for me. Today I didn’t have my son Jeremy since he is attending Naturopathic Medical School right now and Cody because at 10 1/2 he has a little too much arthritis. But I did have the addition of Sam’s fiancé Melissa along with her sister Beth and my “mockie” Janie. We no longer run but do walk the 5K together, talking, laughing, sharing and remembering how thankful we all are to be healthy and together. Jeremy, I know you’ll be back to join us soon with “your” Melissa.
It’s always such a moving day as you walk behind groups of people who are there to either memorialize a loved one, or in celebration of a survivor. I have also participated in the “3Day/60mile” walk with dear friends and was emotionally moved beyond words. Today on my walk I was stopped by several people who were inquiring about our shirts and sign for HIS Breast Cancer Awareness. I spoke with one Male Breast Cancer survivor of 5 years now and had his family including young children walking with him and a woman who is also a 5 year survivor but who lost her dad 17 years ago to breast cancer.
Today along with the pleasure of sharing this very special day, helping to raise funds to find a cure, we also helped to bring awareness that men can also be diagnosed with Male Breast Cancer as well as hopefully letting other men know they are not alone with this “women’s” disease.
Happy Mother’s Day to all and hope to see you next year in Philadelphia
Modah Ani – I am Thankful
Editor; Vicki Wolf Co-Founder
