Many Small Steps

"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." - Neil Armstrong

Many people will be reaching back in their memories to recall where they were when the first manned spacecraft landed on the moon forty years ago today. I was in church so unlike most people in the western world, I only got to see Neil Armstrong take that step on reruns.

I went to Arizona that year to spend the summer with my Aunt Bea. I had just turned fourteen, an innocent girl with one year of high school under my belt and a heap of confidence in a bright future. I can recall wondering what other incredible things were coming to our world. After all, if scientists could put a man on the moon, just imagine the other things that would happen. Later that year, my Aunt Josie, to whom I was connected by love but not by blood, was diagnosed with breast cancer. In those days we didn't talk openly about breast cancer but a diagnosis was pretty much a death sentence. Nonetheless, I was confident. After all, if scientists could put a man on the moon, surely they could find a cure for breast cancer.

Sadly, Aunt Josie died. Some years later, breast cancer hit my family with a vengeance. First we lost Aunt Bea, then her sister Aunt Nora. A few years later, my sister Nancy was diagnosed, followed by my cousin Lana. Nancy and Lana would both face breast cancer again, but both have survived and thrived. Four years ago, I was diagnosed.

Last night, my friend Nancy Petersons called to talk about our participation in the 2009 Weekend to End Breast Cancer. The WTEBC is a 60 kilometer walk through the streets of Toronto to raise money for research and survivorship programs at the Princess Margaret Hospital. This is the event's seventh year in Toronto. I have walked it three times and worked at it three times. This year I will take a break from walking and will join Nancy, her husband Aivers, my sisters Cathy and Nancy and Cathy's daughter-in-law Kelly, on a crew team to support the 4,000+ women and men who will make the 60k walk. Crewing is hard work but for me, not quite as difficult as walking. My feet didn't heal for six months after last year's walk. Nonetheless, I plan to make the journey again in 2010 when Kelly's daughter Emily turns sixteen - the minimum age for a walker. I promised Emily I would take the journey with her.

Forty years later, breast cancer is still with us. But much has changed. More than 80 percent of people who are diagnosed with breast cancer, survive. Treatments are less radical and debilitating. We can, and do, speak openly about the disease and corporate sponsors have gotten on board and donated a lot of money for the research that will bring us to the ultimate finish line. But at a grassroots level, we also raised that research money a dollar at a time, at bake sales and jewelry parties, galas and walks, garage sales and lemonade stands. And in my little corner of the world, by working and walking at the Weekend to End Breast Cancer. I like to think it's many small steps for woman, one giant leap for womankind.

To learn more about the Weekend to End Breast Cancer, or to sponsor a participant, go to www.endcancer.ca.