Race for the Cure!!!

Steph's Steppers

Saturday THOUSANDS of people from the Memphis area gathered in Germantown, TN for The Race for the Cure. This event raises money for Breast Cancer research and this year raised over $500,000.00 for the cause. AMAZING!! Some of the nicest people from Mikes office got together and formed a group in my honor - "Steph's Steppers" - just our little group raised over $3,000.00 and ended up ranking 8th in the Friends and Family category - isn't that amazing??

I didn't know what to expect - didn't know if I could walk the three miles - having just finished radiation two weeks ago - but - we got out there and with adreneline pumping hit the streets - you can't imagine the NUMBER of people - it was difficult to stay together but a few of us did. Sarah, Whit and Lindsay (who came from Nashville) stuck close by and Libby and Alyx were never far behind. It was a sea of PINK!! I had on enough BLING to light up the road but believe me - I was NOT alone!! Everyone had t-shirts and survivors wore PINK shirts with matching hats and I must say that I found myself looking for the pink hats - it was very comforting to see SO MANY - wanted to give all of them a high five!!!

The walk took us through neighborhoods - people were lined up along the streets - cheering - little cheerleader groups from the community were urging us on, pep bands were playing (my personal favorites) and many families decorated their yards for the occasion - such wonderful signs of support. Below are two examples!!

Some of the ladies from Mikes office made little necklaces for us to wear - showing our team name - "Stephs Steppers" - weren't they the cutest things????

It was fitting - I think - that the end of my treatments came during October - Breast Cancer Awareness Month - unless you've gone through something like this - you can't understand what it was like to look around and see all the people there walking and showing their support. It made me feel very, very loved and very, very fortunate.

Libby and Alyx almost didn't make it - they came running up at the last minute announcing that they had ALREADY walked their 3 miles just to get to the starting line!! ha ha

Thanks to everybody who walked with us and who walked in "spirit" - it was a GREAT DAY!!