It was three years ago this May that I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I went in for a routine checkup on my 40th birthday and left with a calendar full of followup appointments in hopes of pinning down an exact diagnosis.
That day sent our entire family and our circle of friends into a whirlwind of pain, but also joy.
Some of you remember. You were there with phone calls and care packages and meals. You bought my daughter’s “Cozys for the Cure” when she decided to sew coffee cup sleeves because she was just so sick of sitting on the sidelines feeling helpless in this battle. (On a side note, Jordan has raised more than $100,000 for the Susan G. Komen organization in the past three years thanks to you.)
I was terrified by my future, even more so because I had never actually met someone with breast cancer. I was hungry for information, for anyone who could reassure me I wasn’t the first woman to walk this path and I wasn’t alone.
I picked up the phone and called my local branch of Susan G. Komen. Becca from Komen Columbus answered the phone. She spent the next 20 minutes saying words that calmed my chaotic brain and breathed hope into my soul. That’s why Jordan started fundraising for the organization, because she had a front row seat to the actions of the people involved.
May 19th, 2018 Komen Columbus will hold what has become the largest Race for the Cure in the entire country. Twenty-five thousand people will show up in downtown Columbus to celebrate survivors. It’s going to be a sea of pink.
I talked with Katie Carter, the Executive Director of Komen Columbus about what this race means for those touched by breast cancer and how her team gathers the energy for continuous daily kindness year round.
You can listen to Episode 29 of The Kindness Podcast now wherever you find your favorite podcasts. And if you happen to ever need a word of encouragement about breast cancer for yourself or a friend, please visit KomenColumbus.org or komen.org or pick up the phone and call 1-877 GO KOMEN (1-877- 465- 6636). You’re not alone.