This month, instead of discussing the fascinating topics of taxes and estate planning, I am going to share about a topic that is a passion for me, and for many others. It is about one of the things I do to give back and has become a meaningful outlet to support a cause that touches the lives of so many people.
Every year in the United States, over 300,000 women (and some men as well) are diagnosed with breast cancer. Statistics show that over a lifetime, 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Three years ago, it was me. I spent the better part of 2016 in treatment, with chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. Thankfully, I am now cancer-free and hope to remain in remission for the rest of my life. Thanks to great doctors, cutting edge treatment, and the grace of God, this episode is in the rear-view mirror for me. Many others, however, are still in the middle of their cancer experience so now it is my passion to do what I can to help.
Everywhere I go I meet people with stories of loved ones – sisters, mothers, aunts, cousins, daughters, best friends, who have journeyed through breast cancer treatment. Thankfully, many have survived, and continue to live in hope that their cancer journey is over permanently. Some have lost the battle, many after several rounds of fighting. Just about everyone who has been touched by a cancer story wants to do something about it so here is how you can help.
The American Cancer Society is the premier organization in the United States to fund cancer research, patient assistance, and advocacy and education about early detection and prevention. Twenty years ago, the American Cancer Society held its first major breast cancer fundraiser in St Petersburg, an October 5K walk called Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. The event has become an annual October tradition in downtown St Petersburg, flooding Vinoy Park with a sea of pink, which last year drew over 6,000 fundraising walkers and over 200 teams. Each team and walker have a story and a connection to the cause and each to the event in a collective effort to raise funds, awareness, support for patients and survivors, and to celebrate life.
The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event this year is Saturday, October 20, 2018, at Vinoy Park. This is only May, why talk about it now? Great question, and the answer is that it takes months of planning, preparation, team recruitment, fund-raising efforts, and organization to pull off a successful event again this year, in terms of numbers of teams, numbers of participants, awareness raised, and funds donated to the cause.
This year, I, along with my good friend, Juliet Kyes, community leader and local business owner of Action Coach of Tampa Bay, have been tapped to chair the event. We are committed to making this the best Strides ever, in honor of the 20-year anniversary of the event, and in honor of all those who have fought the breast-cancer battle.
How can you help? Another great question. We are in need of committee members, team captains, walkers, people to attend fundraising events, and most importantly donors. If this is a cause that is important to you, please do reach out and contact me to see how you can get involved. There is no fee or minimum fundraising required to host a team. The sign-up and fundraising are done through an online portal and the event is a ton of fun for all participants. Survivors are honored and celebrated, celebrity guests attend and encourage the walkers, and each year’s event is more memorable than the last.
There is even an opportunity for men to participate in a special way. Three years ago, the American Cancer Society introduced a program called Real Men Wear Pink. This is a group of men who want to make a special effort against Breast Cancer by fundraising and wearing pink during the month of October to raise awareness. Real Men who Wear Pink in Pinellas have included area physicians, attorneys, business leaders, law enforcement, and other prominent men in the community in past years. This is another great opportunity to become involved, and we are looking for a few good men to be Real Men again this year.
Get involved in Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. Save the date for October 20, 2018, 9 AM. Contact me by email (Samantha@chechelelaw.com) or by phone 727-381-6001 to sign up a team, join a committee, or walk with my team, Cha-Cha Chechele Law, to donate, or to be a Real Man. Our event coordinator, Cindi Crisci, with the American Cancer Society is also a longtime breast cancer survivor. You can also reach out to her and she will provide all the information that you may need about participating and about how the funds that are raised are used to fight cancer. Her contact information is Cindi.Crisci@cancer.org or 813-349-5080.
We hope that you will be inspired to get involved and participate in this fun and worthy event with the end goal that one day, breast cancer (and other cancers) will be eradicated and future generations will no longer have to make strides against breast cancer.
Trusts & Taxes by Samantha Chechele