Race for the Cure

Yesterday I did something I would have never thought I would do: I walked and ran in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure at Atlantic Station in downtown Atlanta. First of all, I am not much of an activist as related to health care. On top of that, some of what I see about breast cancer has seemed to relate to feminism for which I am not a supporter.

However, yesterday was wonderful. First of all, Amanda and her childhood friends , the Sister Chicks (see some their blogs here: Becky, Kristen, Staci- do any of the rest of you have blogs??) decided as a group that they and their moms (of which I am one) would run in this thing. So, I eventually paid my $25 entrance fee and kind of forgot about it. Well, to my surprise, it turned out to be a very moving and inspirational day. Plus, we had really cute shirts. Thanks, Becky!

A unique part of this race was wearing In Memory Of or In Celebration Of pink signs on our backs. I did not see a single person in that entire crowd who did not have a pink sign on their back. So many people affected by breast cancer.

In our case, Amanda and I both wore signs in honor of Ann Marie Griggs Weinberg, my mother-in-law/Amanda’s grandmother. Ann died in October of 2006 of breast, lung, liver and colon cancer. The touching part of the signs was as hundreds of people, mostly women, gathered around the sign-making station, there were many, many tears as names of loved ones were written down and pinned on t-shirt backs. I am choked up right now thinking about it. One young girl near us was sobbing as she wrote down her mother’s name. Amanda and I had tears in our eyes thinking about Grandmama Ann and how dear she was and still is to us. What a marvelous way to honor the memories of our loved ones!

Many people were able to attend the race in celebration of their loved one who had survived breast cancer. Kristen (above) and her mom, Glenda, who is a survivor both walked the race yesterday. What a blessing to see Glenda cross that finish line- not just marking the end of the 5k, but the marking of victory over breast cancer. It was moving and almost breath-taking to see her and others walk down that Survivor’s Lane.

As the race began, we were at the back of the pack of thousands of people. When I got a glimpse of the massive crowd stretched over the streets, I just rejoiced on the inside over the goodness of God. And I don’t care what anyone else thinks, God received glory yesterday, although his name was not mentioned publicly. HE is the healer of breast cancer and the giver of knowledge to researchers, scientists and doctors. What a wonderful time in which we live that cancers are being beaten everyday and someone like Glenda can walk down the Survivors’ lane figuratively and in reality. But this success is not because we participate in a fundraising event or because wonderful foundations like the Susan G. Komen exist- it’s because God is good and He loves us! He wants you and me to be healed- of breast cancer, depression, relationship difficulties, fear, lack or whatever else the devil tries to throw at us.

So when I saw the thousands of people walking yesterday, I just told the Lord that this was all for His glory for bringing healing to women world-wide. I love Him!!

BTW- Channel 2 interviewed Staci and me and most of us in our group got on TV. I’ll try to post it soon!