In October of 2002, I am going to do something I never thought I would have the courage or strength to do... I am going to walk 60 miles, in honor of my mother, from Lake Lanier to Downtown Atlanta Georgia.

Why would I do something crazy like this? Well number one; I like doing things that have an impact somewhere. I like knowing that I have done something good. And the Avon 3 Day walk is a good cause. It has helped to raise over 65 million dollars for breast cancer research and awarness in 98-2000 alone.

The second reason is more personal. In August of last year (2001) my mother was diagnosed with Cancer of Unknown Primary, which means that they could not tell where the cancer originated. The doctors tell us now, that Breast Cancer was probably the inital cause, but by the time they detected ANY cancer at all, it had spread to her legs, stomach, uterus, lungs, liver and spine as well as finding new tumors on her scalp, shoulders, and breasts. It was an incredibly fast, aggressive cancer, and though she fought ferociously, She lost her fight on September 9th 2001. She had been under treatment for the cancer for 1 1/2 months. Seeing the pain she was in, watching her deteriorate so quickly, knowing the stress my father, and her mother were in, killed me inside. I wished I could help her more.

My mother knew she was at high risk for breast cancer, with a family history of it, and so she got regular mammograms twice, yes twice, a year. And still breast cancer killed her. She had just turned 45.

Breast Cancer kills thousands of women each year, and appoximatly one million women are walking around right now with undetected breast cancer. This is wrong. It shouldn't be that way. Every woman who dies of breast cancer is somebody's mother, friend, aunt, sister, or daughter. The odds are 1 in 8.

This is why I have decided to help raise money for this cause. To make sure that those million women remain on the survivor list. To one day have our children think that breast cancer is as rare as smallpox.

The Avon Products Foundation, Inc, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. It awards grants to non-profit breast health programs in every region of the country, and helps fund state-of-the-art medical research on breast cancer. It also helps to provide medically under-served women with direct access to breast health education and early detection screening services, and provides funds to support medical research on breast cancer.

It is a good cause. Join us, a group of approximatly 39,000 women and men who will walk and raise money for the cause all over the country. Or if you can find it in your heart to donate a few dollars, please do.

Thank You,
Melissa Lawson, #1786
Walking in honor of Sharlene Morrow, my mother.