Sister Girlz Make Getting Pinked Cooler

It is so cool to see other teams take the time, after Making Strides Nashville, to be creative and create some lasting memories to look back on the days event! So many that could not attend would like to know what they missed, especially those in treatment that need to know and see what others were doing the street to show their support or those at home hurting because of the lost of a loved one to breast cancer.

Those of us that attended love having the chance to relive the moments through another team's eyes.  It was impossible, with 35,000 people in attendance to capture it all. Thus, seeing it through another Team's eyes, Sister Girlz's Team is just wonderful and shows you the heart of this team.

They have spent the majority of their time just getting ready for the event and doing what they do, giving do causes that matter. Take a few minutes, if you

enjoy the video and believe in the group, to consider visiting their page and perhaps donating at Great video made was memories of Making Strides for Breast Cancer by Team Sister Girlz out of Nashville, TN! Team Captain Melanie Burnett and all her team members did a fabulous job spreading the word around. If enjoy this, please consider donating to this team. They decide with all the work they did increasing awareness! Go to www.makingstrideswalk.org/nashvilletn, search on the team name & select Donate. Give a donation, whatever you can give,  to their team. At least, share the video to others affected by Breast Cancer. I think you will find, like me, a Survivor, it is very uplifting!

Click here 4 Sister Girlz Video

Making Major Strides in Nashville!

Most of us are alone when we are told we have cancer. We are scared because we never envisioned hearing that word said to us. How do you prepare for being told you have breast cancer?  Where do you get a handbook on what to do if you are told this kind of information? If it existed, who would want to read it? It would feel like a death wish or a self-fulfilling prophesy of sorts.   Thus, it is one of the most isolating moments in your life.

Afterwards, you can be in a room full of caring friends and have moments when you feel alone, isolated, as if no one else truly understands how you feel.  This feeling, even while in treatment, while in surgery, recovery will come and go.  It varies from person to person but cancer is unique to each and every individual. But one thing remains constant, the day you are diagnosed, the moment, is never forgotten and at that slice in time, you are alone.  Your world is surrounded by only your own thoughts and feelings for a few moments in time while you try to absorb the enormity of what was just said.

Because of this, one of the most beautiful things about Making Strides Against Breast Cancer sponsored by the American Cancer Society (ACS) to me is the concept of togetherness. We are not alone. We are in this together.  Breast cancer, beating it, ultimately, is everyone’s responsibility. Yes, individually we need to take treatment and try to overcome our individual pathology case, the side effects, if a re-occurrence occurs, metastatic breast cancer, etc…  But the community at large has a responsibility to help prevent others from getting the diagnosis to begin with, continuing doing research to find better methods of prevention, easier treatment plans and cures so that women and men are not dying from this disease. 

Making Strides is the coming together of all types of people, young, old, various religions and walks of life just to support this one cause that affects so many lives, breast cancer. In a world full of hate and violence, to see a symbol of love and life in a sea of pink is precious.  To see children and men wearing a color that to a cancer survivor means I lived another day to wear pink reminds me I am not alone ever, I never was and never will be as long as I live.    

This Strides season began this summer with Montgomery Gentry starting a Band of Pink, a commitment to donate $1,000 and promote their loyalty to the cause. When Tory Gentry’s wife Angie got diagnosed with it, rather than let the news come out through the media, he broke the news to his fans himself.  Troy and Angie then decided to do something positive about the disease choosing this venue, Making Strides for Breast Cancer. They challenged others to hop on board the Pink Band and donate too. This added incentive made me particularly proud of be an integral part of the social media piece this year. I thought this year could be, potentially, a huge year for Nashville.  

At the event, there were over 35,000 registered walkers this year on Oct. 10^th.  We know that many

walkers simply showed up without registering so we are not sure of the exact count.  The donations at the close of the day totaled more than $900,000 but with October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month more donations are rolling in for teams and individuals to ACS the entire month of October so that number is rising.  But what is so different and so cool about the Strides event that some folks don’t get without knowing it inside out is there is little overhead.  

Making Strides budget doesn't allow for much money on promotion at all. That is perhaps why social

media is done often times by people like me, a volunteer, as in unpaid.  This way donors can be assured as much as possible the majority of donations  go to what is promoted.  There is not vendor booths held to have giveaways because that is not the focus of the Strides event for ACS. This is simply about Breast Cancer only. It is not a health fair, not a convention, not a buyers paradise, just exactly what it is called a show of support for Breast Cancer, a way to Make Strides towards the mission of obliterating breast cancer.  And it works, ask the 35,000 in attendance.

Walking with them all, standing in a sea of people, all smiling, none of us are alone in caring about breast cancer and the issues surrounding it. So remember, if you are ever faced with the diagnosis, the one moment in time you feel alone, it will pass and you will soon feel the love of us all, all of us that come in pink to the streets in October to Make Strides!    Video Link Here

To donate, visit makingstrideswalk.org/nashvilletn

For additional information about breast cancer or any form of cancer, visit ACS's website at cancer.org or call the 24/7 hotline# at 800-227-2345.

Make Some Noise - Mt. Juliet Rocks

The American Cancer Society holds an annual event called Making Strides for Breast Cancer. This event not only raises funds for finding better drugs for this disease but also a cure and increases awareness. This is something, with the prevalence of breast cancer diagnosis in this country, everyone should rally around.
Rather than be a silent survivor sitting idly by, I decided to take action and get involved. I want to do all I can to prevent others from having to endure the treatment path I have experienced this past year. Thus, I formed a team called Make Some Noise. This event is a perfect venue to make some noise and draw media attention to breast cancer in this country.
A few weeks later, after forming my team, the American Cancer contacted me. They asked me to be a speaker at their annual local kick off breakfast held locally in Nashville, TN at the Wildhorse Saloon. I embraced the opportunity to speak for other women who have walked this path of recovery. It was a chance to tell others to not wait till diagnosed to get involved, do it now.
My speech's theme was Ava wants a cure, a beautiful young little bright eyed girl born in Nashville on Dec. 1, 2007 in the midst of my treatment. Ava is my granddaughter and every time I see her face and trusting eyes looking up at me, I cannot bear the thought of her, or any female I know, having to endure chemo therapy! I felt my speech hit its mark and several others that spoke after me, including the corporate sponsors, were truly inspirational. It made me proud to be involved in such a worthy cause.
A few weeks later, when I checked our team's site, I noticed our progress, or rather lack of it. Try as we might, we were having trouble getting folks to contribute financially and/or walk with us. We began a concerted effort to send out email blasts and speak it up at any networking opportunities we could. One day the co caption of our team, Sherry Marlow, mentioned her concern over hitting our goals to some folks at chamber meeting. Then the tide turned.
The very next day, Sherry was called and told several members of the Chamber wanted to host a fund raising event for our team. All the profit made by those participating would go directly to the Making Strides Campaign in the name of our team, Make Some Noise! They were right in their assumption, without a corporate sponsor, we could not make our goal. Thus began the meetings over this event and the quest to make this an outstanding event that will now be celebrated annually. This wonderful small group of individual business owners in Mt. Juliet has embraced this mission of increasing awareness of this issue and donations to fund breast cancer efforts.
What began as a phone call has now turned into a fun filled evening being held Sept. 25th at Scott Thomas Imagery complete with live music, donated door prizes, and goody bags for all attendees, A representative of both the American Cancer Society and the Tennessee Breast Cancer Coalition will be present as well to have materials on hand for anyone wishing to ask questions or pick up free literature. Vendors that will have materials there are donating their proceeds that night for all sales to our team. We have several companies and establishments in the area contributing food and drink too for all attendees. We started off, just some individuals with a plan but no company willing to back our efforts. I know see clearly what we have and this has become, an opportunity to show one person or group truly can make an impact.
I live in Spring Hill, Tennessee and must say it is over an hour away from this small but progressively growing community of Mt. Juliet, TN. I am touched by their generosity to stand behind our team's efforts to make a dent in this cause.

Please, when traveling in or through Tennessee in the near future, be sure to stop off I 40 Exit. #226 and see this town where southern hospitality is truly extended to all!