So 3-Day season ended last November, but it is almost April and as Captains, we are already planning for this year. Numbers are down, which is probably due to the economy, but let's face it, CANCER doesn't stop, just because we take a break.
I highly encourage everyone who has been touched by breast cancer to do something today to help increase awareness, research for prevention, and medicines so that another person doesn't have to suffer through this horrible disease.
This year, I am doing another 2 events. I tried to go for 3, but it's just not in the cards this year. You will find me in San Francisco which will be October 2-4, and I will be in San Diego which is November 27-29. This year will prove interesting as I hope to take on additional responsibility for the event!
To all you captains out there in 14 cities across the nation, please get your crews involved and involved early! We need to build momentum now all the way up to event. Remind your crews that service to the event goes above all else including oneself!
If anyone has questions about event, you can find information on the Captains forum on Facebook or just hit me up directly!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
What it means to crew
You signed up to crew. You went to a couple meetings. You came to Crew Day. Now the event is here. Whether you are a camp crew or a road crew member, a first timer or tenth timer, do you ever ask yourself why you crew?
You look at the walkers. You figure, they are walking for their mom, their daughter, their aunt, or for themselves. They raised $2,200 to walk their victory march, a 60-mile journey to let the world know that another voice has stepped up to cancer. Yet, you still might wonder why crew comes to work.
The reasons are the same. We crew to support the walkers, to enable their successful victory march. We crew to show our voice to cancer that we will fight the fight. Cancer will not go away. It is a dormant enemy lying wait within our bodies. Whether that dormancy turns to activity depends on many factors. However, our fight is the fight to keep that cancer from every spreading its wings within our bodies.
So my message is simple. Crewing means we leave our differences at home. We tell ourselves that no matter what happens on event, we will remain vigilant to the cause. Will there be challenging moments? Yes. However, we must remember that our focus is on the experience of the walkers. If we are to help continue Komen’s mission, we must execute the event with seamlessness. Walkers should never have to perceive that there is a problem. If I was never thanked again by a walker because I became invisible, then I have truly done my job.
You look at the walkers. You figure, they are walking for their mom, their daughter, their aunt, or for themselves. They raised $2,200 to walk their victory march, a 60-mile journey to let the world know that another voice has stepped up to cancer. Yet, you still might wonder why crew comes to work.
The reasons are the same. We crew to support the walkers, to enable their successful victory march. We crew to show our voice to cancer that we will fight the fight. Cancer will not go away. It is a dormant enemy lying wait within our bodies. Whether that dormancy turns to activity depends on many factors. However, our fight is the fight to keep that cancer from every spreading its wings within our bodies.
So my message is simple. Crewing means we leave our differences at home. We tell ourselves that no matter what happens on event, we will remain vigilant to the cause. Will there be challenging moments? Yes. However, we must remember that our focus is on the experience of the walkers. If we are to help continue Komen’s mission, we must execute the event with seamlessness. Walkers should never have to perceive that there is a problem. If I was never thanked again by a walker because I became invisible, then I have truly done my job.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Help me, help others
To battle cancer, it takes courage, heart, strength, and not to mention...money. For those who know me, I have been working with The Breast Cancer 3-Day for many years. While I don't walk, I play an integral role in supporting thousands of walkers in each city I visit.
Will we ever get rid of cancer? Some debate this. Some say it's part of our genetic makeup and it is only a matter if cancer makes itself present. However, what I do know is that cancer is beatable. Monies raised for organizations like Susan G. Komen allow people to get help in early detection and help many others in understanding their need for risk and awareness.
So please join me in the battle against breast cancer. Click on the picture on the right to make a donation today!
Will we ever get rid of cancer? Some debate this. Some say it's part of our genetic makeup and it is only a matter if cancer makes itself present. However, what I do know is that cancer is beatable. Monies raised for organizations like Susan G. Komen allow people to get help in early detection and help many others in understanding their need for risk and awareness.
So please join me in the battle against breast cancer. Click on the picture on the right to make a donation today!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
The unspoken responsibility of a captain
Being a captain on the 3-Day is fun. Lots of folks have done it. It can be a very easy job, or it can be a hard job. I think the fun part is making it a challenging job. I believe that every captain on the 3-Day has more than just the duties listed on the piece of paper given to them. The unspoken challenge or responsibility of each captain is to make the event better than the year before! Whether you are a new captain or a returning veteran, it is in the best interest of all those who participate for captains to think about how they add value to the event.
So I encourage all captains in any city to think of new ways to make the 3-Day the best event ever. You will feel great about your accomplishments. Your team will thank you for a wonderful event. Best of all the walkers will appreciate the sacrifices you made. To contribute ideas or read about other things to try out on the 3-Day visit the Facebook group at the following link:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6270917449
This is a place for all captains to share their ideas or pick up new ones.
Have a great 3-Day season!
So I encourage all captains in any city to think of new ways to make the 3-Day the best event ever. You will feel great about your accomplishments. Your team will thank you for a wonderful event. Best of all the walkers will appreciate the sacrifices you made. To contribute ideas or read about other things to try out on the 3-Day visit the Facebook group at the following link:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6270917449
This is a place for all captains to share their ideas or pick up new ones.
Have a great 3-Day season!
3-Day Season is about to start!
There is an excitement in the air! What could it be? It's 3-Day season and it's about to start soon! As a veteran captain, I can't wait for spring. I always have a festive anticipation that 3-Day is just around the corner. Rosters start coming out, crew captains rosters fill out, crew registration closes down, and it all starts with the welcome message from the crew coordinator. This year I will be in Boston, SF Bay Area, and San Diego! I know it sounds crazy to get all excited about something that is months away, but I actually enjoy the preparation leading up to the event. I feel that it leads to better events. It's also a time to get people excited and interested in fighting for the cause. If research accomplishes nothing else, at minimum funding programs for awareness and messaging for testing should be an important part of the fight. Breast cancer no longer has to be a death sentence.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Reflections of the year
I often view the holiday season as a time for reflection. While reflection should occur frequently, Christmas is a time where I get to slow down a bit and look back on events that transpired throughout the year.
This year I am reflecting on my first 2-event year and how wonderful it was to go coast-to-coast as well as be the first and last events for the Breast Cancer 3-Day. I met lots of new folks who had a ton of energy as well as return to embrace friends from previous years. Both events went very well. This is a time in the year where people step outside their daily grind to really give of themselves. It is a chance to see people at their best.
But alas, I also reflect on the fact that I went to 2 more Breast Cancer 3-Days this year. Do I grow weary of attending? NO. However, what I yearn for is the day I can go to a Breast Cancer 3-Day that is not about raising money awareness, but a PHAT party to celebrate the fact we have accomplished our goal of finding ways to give people a lifetime.
My best friend visited last night. She is finishing her PHd in genetic statistics. What was revealing to me yesterday was that cancer will never go away. It is not something we can immunize against. Current research is at the point of trying to figure out the causes and how to stop cells from dividing, which if I understand correctly, is the problem when you have cancer. Everything can cause cancer, so science is working on figuring out how to correct the body once cancer has been found.
The epiphany to me was that I will probably be volunteering for a long time until the solution is developed. If for no other reason then to raise awareness to get checked early, then my battle will have been worth the cost. The promising news is that my best friend's advisor, a well respected geneticist in the industry truly believes the solution will be found in her lifetime...that means theirs hope for me to see this through.
~Andrew
This year I am reflecting on my first 2-event year and how wonderful it was to go coast-to-coast as well as be the first and last events for the Breast Cancer 3-Day. I met lots of new folks who had a ton of energy as well as return to embrace friends from previous years. Both events went very well. This is a time in the year where people step outside their daily grind to really give of themselves. It is a chance to see people at their best.
But alas, I also reflect on the fact that I went to 2 more Breast Cancer 3-Days this year. Do I grow weary of attending? NO. However, what I yearn for is the day I can go to a Breast Cancer 3-Day that is not about raising money awareness, but a PHAT party to celebrate the fact we have accomplished our goal of finding ways to give people a lifetime.
My best friend visited last night. She is finishing her PHd in genetic statistics. What was revealing to me yesterday was that cancer will never go away. It is not something we can immunize against. Current research is at the point of trying to figure out the causes and how to stop cells from dividing, which if I understand correctly, is the problem when you have cancer. Everything can cause cancer, so science is working on figuring out how to correct the body once cancer has been found.
The epiphany to me was that I will probably be volunteering for a long time until the solution is developed. If for no other reason then to raise awareness to get checked early, then my battle will have been worth the cost. The promising news is that my best friend's advisor, a well respected geneticist in the industry truly believes the solution will be found in her lifetime...that means theirs hope for me to see this through.
~Andrew
Monday, December 3, 2007
How the thought of cancer affects me
The last few days have been tenuous for me and my family. Over the weekend I had to bring my mom in to the emergency room for lightheadedness and other symptoms that require medical attention. Over the course of 2 days, assessments have indicated internal problems. Whether you are a cancer survivor or the family member of a cancer survivor, anything worse than the flu can send you into worrisome thoughts about cancer.
My first thought, "please don't let it be cancer." I hung on every word the doctors said. I copied down terminology and conditions that they spewed. I googled or researched each term. "What are the symptoms?" "What are the causes?" "What's the treatment?" To call medicine a science, I sometimes really wonder. It's not a science per se...it's an art. Yes, they know all the names of conditions, symptoms, and technical terms...but when it comes to the bottom line, can they get the differential correct the first time? That's the art.
Last year, I ended up having some surgery. Let's just say, symptoms caused me to go to the doctor. What started out as one thing, ended up in the removal of a lymph node for me. Detrimental? Not highly, but the art in determining my problem was missed by two doctors...yup credentialed and all. My biggest worry was whether or not they were going to diagnose correctly...because the power of the internet gave me the ability to look up what I had potentially. Guess what? Cancer was in there as one of the choices.
Just knowing my mom is a survivor makes me that much more paranoid when things happen to me. A good friend of mine is a cancer survivor. She has attempted to put cancer out of her mind and now I understand to some degree...why.
So today, we learn my mom does not have cancer...it's something else...but what? A two to three day wait is now required for the results from the biopsy. I pray it is nothing serious.
But in the end, look what cancer has done to me. I think it no different than any other major life threatening event and how it affects peoples' lives. Am I scared of it? Sure. I hope to avoid cancer and as many other similar problems in my life.
That's why I fight. I fight the fight so maybe someday, just maybe...my children and children around the world will know a world where you don't have to worry about cancer.
~Andrew
My first thought, "please don't let it be cancer." I hung on every word the doctors said. I copied down terminology and conditions that they spewed. I googled or researched each term. "What are the symptoms?" "What are the causes?" "What's the treatment?" To call medicine a science, I sometimes really wonder. It's not a science per se...it's an art. Yes, they know all the names of conditions, symptoms, and technical terms...but when it comes to the bottom line, can they get the differential correct the first time? That's the art.
Last year, I ended up having some surgery. Let's just say, symptoms caused me to go to the doctor. What started out as one thing, ended up in the removal of a lymph node for me. Detrimental? Not highly, but the art in determining my problem was missed by two doctors...yup credentialed and all. My biggest worry was whether or not they were going to diagnose correctly...because the power of the internet gave me the ability to look up what I had potentially. Guess what? Cancer was in there as one of the choices.
Just knowing my mom is a survivor makes me that much more paranoid when things happen to me. A good friend of mine is a cancer survivor. She has attempted to put cancer out of her mind and now I understand to some degree...why.
So today, we learn my mom does not have cancer...it's something else...but what? A two to three day wait is now required for the results from the biopsy. I pray it is nothing serious.
But in the end, look what cancer has done to me. I think it no different than any other major life threatening event and how it affects peoples' lives. Am I scared of it? Sure. I hope to avoid cancer and as many other similar problems in my life.
That's why I fight. I fight the fight so maybe someday, just maybe...my children and children around the world will know a world where you don't have to worry about cancer.
~Andrew
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