I’m pleased to announce a recipient for the 2010 survivor bra. I could try to write my own intro for her, but I think that what I got in e-mail will do a much better job:

I am a 15 month survivor of breast cancer. The person who helped me the most through treatment and recovery has been Donna. Donna is a 27 month survivor! She is my Super Hero! Donna Kaufmann lives in Northern Virginia outside Washington D.C. with her family. Her husband is deployed to Afghanistan for 2 years and she has a 16 year old daughter and 5 year old autistic son. Can you think of anything more challenging? In 2007 she endured a mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation and reconstruction, all while struggling with the other issues in her life, and yet has remained a constant supporter and champion to the cause of breast cancer and finding a cure! She took a job with The American Cancer Society and now lobbies in Richmond, Virginia and on Capitol Hill in support of cancer awareness and funding. She took me to the gym when I was 1 month out of chemo. I was so weak yet she convinced me that I could do it and become stronger each day. She celebrated with me on my 1 year cancer- versary of my diagnosis by handing out pink ribbons with me at the local sandwich shop and going to spin class with me (wearing her pink ballet tutu no less!). With exuberance and grace and a smile, she brings awareness to this disease so that others will not have to go through it. She kept telling me I would be alright and, though I didn’t believe her at the time, she has given me the strength to move forward with a healthy lifestyle and overcome the challenges that breast cancer introduces into a young woman’s life. When I see what Donna has accomplished, I know I WILL be alright!

Thanks for the nomination! I sent in the bra today to be embroidered and when I get it back I’ll hit the ground running to get it filled up with signatures!!!

 

For the past two years, my teammates and I have carried bras on our backpacks for people or groups that have gone above and beyond the call to help in fund raising. As we do the walk, we have walkers and crew at the 3-Day sign the bras and then we give them to our fund raising super stars as a small token of thanks for all they have done.

We plan to continue this tradition in the years to come, but I’m adding something that I hope will work out this year. I want to do a bra for someone that breast cancer has directly touched. Maybe they have just been diagnosed, maybe they are going through chemo right now or maybe they are in remission. That’s where you come in. Take a moment to nominate someone that you know to receive the 2010 Survivor Bra. I’ll take all of the suggestions and then at random select a person to receive it.

What happens next is that I will get their name embroidered on a pink bra and get people to donate $10 or more to sign it. My goal is to try and fit 500 signatures on the bra. This means that the bra will hopefully raise $5,000 that all goes to the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure. When I get to 500 signatures or as close as I can, I will present the bra to the selected person. This is just our way of saying, “We want you to be a survivor and to continue being a survivor.”

Take a minute to fill out the form below of someone you think needs the survivor bra. I will make the selection on January 14th.

Nominations for the 2010 Survivor Bra have been closed. Stay tuned for the 2011 Survivor Bra to make your nomination!

 

The first donations for the 2010 3-Day have been posted and I would like to thanks those who have donated so far to my fund raising efforts! Special thanks to the following folks for donating so early:

Chris Puyear
The Garvin Family
Helen Karakoudas
Dee Murphy

Please take a time to make a tax deductible donation to help stop the fight against breast cancer!

http://the3day.org/goto/bostonjohn

 

The Speed Gamers Marathon fundraiser starts tomorrow! Check them out at http://www.thspeedgamers.com

They have a link there to donate, or you can donate to this fundraiser here:

 

This post is long overdue, but I wanted to still announce that I am officially over the $1000 mark thanks to a generous donation by Emily and Eddy Evans! Thanks guys, we’re making our way to the goal!