Breast Cancer is tough, but we're tougher!

A few weeks ago, I found myself doing something I haven't done in a while...cry. As I reflected on this for the next few days, I pondered what kind of cry was it?

First, why was I crying? Well, I had just learned that my good friend was diagnosed with breast cancer for the 2nd time. As we talked on the phone, I found myself choked up from the shock that breast cancer had hit close, again.

Her story is reflected in her blog here...
http://kristinsgoodlife.blogspot.com/

So what kind of cry was it? Well...

It started as a cry of helplessness, the feeling that there was little I could do to help my friend.

Then in morphed into a cry of remembrance, reflecting on the days when my own mother battled breast cancer and remembering friends and their pain as they lost loved ones.

Quickly, it turned into a cry of anger. Why is breast cancer still here? Where is the sense of fairness that it strikes where the light shines brightest?

Finally, my cry settled...not that it stopped, but it became a LOUD and ECHOING battle cry!

And so I will continue to cry and more importantly, I will continue to cry out, Breast Cancer, your days are numbered and you will not prevail.

And to Kristin, my dear friend, my battle cries this year will be dedicated to you!

Recognition is nice, but I don't want to be doing this forever

Every year that I crew another Komen event, I often reflect why am I doing another event?  As much fun as I have every time, there are several moments whether during planning, on event, or post-reflection where I just question why we have not found a cure.  Sure it's great to receive recognition that you have the Crew Power Team or that you have raised $5,000.  However, we're were only supposed to be in this "until there's a cure."  I think a lot of folks would agree that it's long overdue.  And while some would argue that vanity drugs support the rest of the industry, I truly wonder why a cure for cancer hasn't been found given the amount of scientific talent around the world.  SO until then, I WILL continue the fight.  I WILL continue to fundraise.  I WILL continue to work on behalf of women and men who will face this disease, because everyone does deserve a lifetime.

Fundraising is in full swing! Boston starts at the end of July and I would love to have 5 people today donate $10 each to help end breast cancer!

http://www.the3day.org/goto/sf12drew


Every dollar counts in saving someone's life.

Don't Judge a Charity by Its Expense Ratio

There is only a few months until July when 3-Day season kicks off with Boston! As I prepare for the event, getting rosters, calling the team, scheduling flights, I came across an article today that fits the way I feel about charities in general, but also about the way people think. The gist of the article is about the common measure by which people judge charities and ultimately contribute to. The popular measure is the percentage of adminstrative costs or expenses in relationship to how much goes to the cause.

I can see where this can be a problem. We've probably all heard the stories of how much Girl Scout cookies cost and how much actually goes back to the troops. We see stories in the paper about the high compensation of CEOs and executives while the average American struggles to make ends meet. We use past experiences as our guidelines to make snap judgements, which the article refers to a study about how the brain thinks.

Basically, our brains have 2 ways of thinking. The first way is the easy way, we look something over and using our past experiences we make a judgement call. The second way is a lot harder where there is actually an analytical side to handle complex issues. The problem is that it takes work and the brain natually shifts to the easy way.

So think about this. If Apple, the world's most valuable company right now, had an expense ratio of 20%, would you say that it is being mis-managed? How would you tell? You might respond that it takes more than that to assess if the company is not living up to its shareholders, such as stock price, debt to equity, sales turnover, new product successes, etc.

Then should a charity only be judge by one measure?

Check out the story The worst way to judge a charity
.

First two crew assignments, it's official

Great news coming in the last week. My first two crew assignments are confirmed! Batting first, Boston, where I will lead Pit 2. Catch me and my good friend Elle Peji in July!

San Francisco comes in September and I will be Camp Logistics captain! Woot woot! I'll be teaming up with more friends, Stephanie McGinty, Camp Coach and again with Elle Peji!

San Diego is still out ways, but more to come on that assignment.

Going for 3 with 3 Day!

Well, the 2012 season is in preparation and will kick off in July. Over the last several years, I have attempted but never succeeded in attending 3 events in one year. For one reason or another, something has prevented me from reaching that goal. This year, I am determined to make 3 events.

It will start with a return to Boston, where I crewed in 2007. Boy was it HOT! After a couple months, I'll return to the SF 3-Day, right in my backyard. To round out the year, I'll hit San Diego in November which has moved up a week, hopefully to take advantage of any remaining good weather.

As for assignments, having experienced leading Youth Corps last year in AZ, I am looking forward to repeating in San Diego. You can catch me and my good friend Elle Peji at Pit 2 in Boston and it is my expectation to lead Camp Logistics again in SF.

The captain meetings are already happening for Boston, my hotel is booked, and I just need to find a reasonably priced flight. I can't wait to get back to 3-Day where we believe it's the way the world ought to be.

Please support the fight by donating today! It's estimated that in 2012, there will be 226,870 new cases of invasive breast cancer and almost 40,000 deaths from breast cancer.

We Close Another Chapter on 3-Day, Farewell 2011

So we've logged another 15 events for Susan G. Komen's 3-Day for the Cure. I think it is a little bittersweet that while breast cancer is not yet a thing of the past, millions of dolllars have been raised this year that will go to programs designed for research, prevention, and awareness. I think it is a little sad that for all the money that is stacked up in the name of fighting breast cancer we can only go as fast as researcher discover new learning about how to stop it. So until then, the best we have awareness and prevention along with modern equipment for finding and eradicating.

I think also bittersweet is that I will personally be looking forward to another year of 3-Day for the Cure in 2012. I long for the day when I can say that I no longer need to participate because the answer has been found.

Until then, I bid 2011 farewell. I had an awesome time in both San Francisco and Arizona! I am planning 3 events next year where I hope to make it to Boston, repeat in SF, and hopefully return to San Diego. There are so many people I have enjoyed reuniting with as well as meeting new people who share the same passion as I do.

So if you have something you would like to share or remember, leave a comment here! See you all next year.