The
Susan Komen Race for the Cure was this past week-end here in town. Usually 35-50,000 people show up for the event that winds through the streets of downtown Portland. The city supports the race and it is hard not to be aware of the event from the news media outlets as well as the banners downtown.
I don’t know when I started participating in the Race but I have a pin from 1993. My company has had a team for 7 years. For team members I personally distribute their T-shirts and after the race we have a get together at my home or at a restaurant or hotel suite. This year we were so busy I didn’t think we could put it all together and chose not to support a team. I still of course walked in the Race Event and encouraged my former team members to do likewise.
I am embarrassed of my actions! How busy was I and other women when diagnosed with breast cancer? I know I didn’t have breast cancer on my agenda for life experiences. The disease certainly blindsided me but I recovered and have been in remission for 9 years. I am lucky. Many women die, in fact, 40,000 a year in the USA. At the Race you can personalize with pink cards that you are racing “in celebration” or “in memoriam”. When you see small kids with pictures of their Mom looking young and vibrant who died pinned on their small backs, it is a tear fest!
There I was in my boa and tiara working the style, trying to be a bit ‘Racy’ for the cure kicking myself for not organizing a team. While not busy beating myself up, I noticed some new fashion trends among race goers. There were many donning pink capes that make a good hero statement, very popular with men. Many women wore crowns and then there were many men and women wearing Angel wings. Let me tell you wings take up some space in a crowd and no one wants to be poked in the face by an Angel wing!
The biggest fashion trend news in Race for the Cure, Portland, Oregon style is the addition of the Tutu and the pink wig. Teams with bright pink wigs were hard not to notice. Who was wearing the wig because of chemo or for support, who knows! The tutus were worn over shorts, pants or leggings by men and women with their Race T-Shirt. Nothing says I support this cause as a middle-aged man wearing a tutu!
Next year my team, we will be there regardless of how busy I am, we will consider tutus or other Race support fashion trends.
Have you ever not joined or participated in an event and regretted it? Have you ever felt that writing a check is not enough?
4 comments:
What a wake-up call Haralee. *I* started tearing up imaging those kids with the pics of their mom.
While I applaud your self awareness, don't be too hard on yourself. Throughout the year you are promoting the cause when others have set aside their tiaras for next year.
In the past I had been fairly involved in preventing violence against women, however that has fallen beside the wayside lately because I'm "busy". I guess I'm about to get busier!
Thanks Nicole for your comments. Race for the Cure can be a tear fest it is so touching and also at the same time very empowering seeing a sea of white shirt supporters and pink shirt survivors.
We all can make a small impact!
Haralee - you are such an amazing advocate for breast cancer....we all need to be more faithful to our causes year round like you!
I used to do a lot of pet therapy at the children's hospital = I need to get back to it! Like, Nicole - I just got busier! Rachel
Thank-you Rachel for the kind words. Having 'your' charity that you support is way above many people who don't suport any charity at all!
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