Please support me as I take an amazing journey in the fight against breast cancer! The Breast Cancer 3-Day is a 60-mile walk over the course of three days, from November 21-23, 2008. Net proceeds benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure and National Philanthropic Trust, funding important breast cancer research, education, screening, and treatment.
My personal message to my family, friends and customers
Hello, everyone.
I don't have breast cancer. I don't know anyone directly that has breast cancer. I decided to join the 60-Mile San Diego Walk to support my friend Sara Hardin in spreading the word and help a worthy cause, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and National Philanthropic Trust. I also wanted to do something for myself, to get healthy and moving again. I used to be a sprinter in my younger years. I used to win medals too, but eventually these Chinese legs were no match to faster ones, so I moved forward with other endeavors.
Sara and I are very active members in the bead and jewelry field. We have become friends through our love of beads. If you don't know Sara, she is the Marketing Manager and the "Ask Sara" Product Specialist for the Softflex Company. Besides being a great friend, Sara has a very generous heart and led the way by walking in 2006, in Arizona, suffering blisters but never giving up on her goal. It has come time for me to join my friend in spreading the good word. (I was working on my book during this time!) One can talk and talk but I am a person of actions. We will do it together, Sara and I, with YOUR generous help.
I may not have breast cancer but I do have Type II Diabetes, non-insulin dependent. Not many people know this, except my close friends and family, but now you all know. I don't see having this disease as a handicap so please don't feel sorry for me. Instead it is the driving force for me to get as much done in my lifetime as possible, because life is short! So no need to feel sorry for me because I do have a full life. Just read my website and my blog. This crazy girl is all over the place and now you know partly why. I am just like you but I just eat differently and need to keep exercising to keep the blood sugars in manageable levels!
I was diagnosed with diabetes in July 1998 a few weeks after I married my sweetheart, Nick. At the time, I wondered and asked "why me?" like anyone would. I cried and cried for several weeks but realized life has a way of dealing you cards to challenge you. Reflecting back now, having diabetes has me more aware of how precious life is indeed. I treasure every moment and day I have to spend with my family and friends. And I have a mission to share this philosophy with anyone willing to listen to me (and oh boy! can I write long novels!)
With my loving family, I've been able to just stay on management medications and to date am not insulin dependent. If you saw me in person, with my energy level and "can do" attitude, you would NEVER guess that I am diabetic. Diabetes partly runs in my family! Looks can be deceiving because I don't let on! However, I've been careful to watch myself and eat as healthy as possible, trying to exercise when I can (which hasn't been much in recent years, but I'm about to change that with my training program!) What you don't see is that some days I do feel "weak" and don't get much done, but my family and friends keep me going, going and going! I'm an Energizer Bunny.
So I have a new outlook on life and am committed to see this through, returning to my old active self. I used to be in martial arts, run, cycle, play basketball, etc. By sharing this goal with you all, in a very public way, I will be guaranteed not to let you, breast cancer patients, their families, my family, myself and Sara down. I WILL DO IT! And if you see me in the bead world getting all that I get done, you know that I'm one MOTIVATED gal. I do what I say and I say what I'll do! And joining Sara on this walk, we hope to raise as much money as possible to not only help those afflicted with breast cancer now, but those that will be diagnosed this year, and those that will unfortunately be afflicted in the future. Please help us in this Walk for a Cure and be VERY generous with your donations.
I hope that no matter how much you are able to donate, that you consider supporting us by just giving up a cup of Starbucks coffee a week or a meal out. You may not want to walk 60 miles yourself but Sara and I will do it for you. In order for me to even walk and participate, I will need to raise a minimum of $2200. However, I hope between all my friends in the bead world, my family, and all of you in my extended family, I will be able to raise twice, three times or even four times this amount. I know that everyone has a generous heart and I will meet this goal. Whatever I raise, I WILL still walk in November. I will make sure it happens even if I donate all the $2200 myself. I am DETERMINED!
Join me with my friend Sara Hardin! Let's show the world what MAGIC bead folks can do to help a worthy cause. I will make you all proud and in the end, also make myself stronger and healthier bodywise to continue fighting my Type II Diabetes!
Please HELP Sara and I, in our mission
(click links to donate to either Sara or me!)
The largest five amounts donated to my name, by the time I walk in November, will get a free one of a kind bead from me as my way of thanking you for your support! Not that you need this encouragement!
