Flavor #2 - Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

Raise money for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure - Robert Burke, Sarasota FL

In memory of Lois May Shearer
December 12, 1919 - May 21, 2001





Lori and I had both decided to walk the Komen for the Cure. Anyone who knows me, knows that I love to turn things into "events", so I had suggested that we have a slumber party and travel together in the morning. Lori and I didn't often hang out, but we ran in the same church circle, so I knew a few things about her:

I knew she was a law student
I knew that she had a great sense of humor
I knew that she had an affection for Disney
I also knew that her mother had lost her life to kidney cancer.

Lori's studio apartment was colorful and charming; much more successful than my clumsy attempt at decorating. One of the first things I noticed was collection of pictures on her wall, especially a portrait hanging in the center: Lori's mother. She could have been Lori's twin; same eyes, same smile, and as Lori pointed out, same forehead. Lori was serving an LDS mission in Africa when her mother passed. When she returned home, many relatives and close friends often expressed, most with tears in their eyes, how much she looked like her. I wondered if Lori ever felt some of that same sadness when she looked in the mirror and saw those pieces of her mother staring back.

The evening was casual and comfortable. We helped ourselves to a dose of Project Runway and Soft-Serve from the McDonald's around the corner, before bedding down for the night. As I drifted off to sleep on Lori's couch, I flashed on the pictures of my grandma that my dad had recently emailed me for my donation web-site. I smiled as I recalled how much he too had pieces of my grandmother in him.

The next morning came early. Lori and I got ready in less than twenty minutes and were out the door by 7:oo. It was a crisp and clear day; perfect for walking. On the bus, everyone was quietly settling into the morning. We coasted from stop to stop, picking up several passengers wearing our same t-shirts. Lori and I munched on our Powerbar breakfasts and gazed out the window. As we neared Grant Park, we noticed several hundred more of the same white tees walking south on Michigan Avenue. Knowing smiles flashed around the bus. We were all headed to the same place.

The scene at Grant park could have been a county fair...but PINKER! A Bandshell near the entrance blared an upbeat tune as thousands of participants milled around the sponsor tents. Lori played my guide. We weaved through the crowds of people to a table at the opposite corner of the field. There I filled out a pink "In Memory of" sign to pin on my back. Moments later a familiar Melissa Etheridge song signaled the start of the "Parade of Pink." A crowd gathered around the bandshell as women of various ages, wearing pink t-shirts, climbed the risers in front of the stage. The audience cheered as the announcer introduced the survivors ranging from 6 months to 20 years and more. Then as the music swelled, these beautiful women raised their hands and waved in unison to the chorus:

"I run for hope, I run to feel
I run for the truth,
For all that is real
I run for your mother,
your sister, your wife
I run for you and me my friend,
I run for life."

Hands shot up all over the crowd, and for a moment, all of us waved to the music together. Overwhelming admiration coursed through me as I gazed at these brave women, some without a strand of hair, smiling and cheering us just as loudly as we cheered them. I was surprised to see how young many of them were. Then it hit me that my grandma was actually younger than me the first time she was diagnosed. I turned to Lori who I could see was just as emotional as me. I gave her a quick squeeze. As we both wiped the tears from our eyes, she said, "C'mon, let's go get some free stuff."

Turns out that Lori and I didn't need that Powerbar. Even if there hadn't been least 100 crates of fruit in the middle of the field, the Yoplait and Sara Lee portions would have satisfied. We travelled from tent to tent collecting all sorts of free samples from chapstick to bandanas, stowing everything in the pink back packs we received. Was all of the free stuff necessary? No. Was it an added bonus? Yes!

It wasn't long before it was time to line up. The walk was a sight to see. People were decked out in everything from pink boas to pink hair. A radio announcer greeted us at the starting line, calling out the names of each team as they passed. The teams were made up of a variety of colors and...colorful names, my personal favorites being, "Save My Jugs" and "Team for Tattas".

We followed the steady stream of color, north on Michigan Ave where a portion of the street had been blocked off. A satisfied grin spread across my face. I always feel a little rebellious walking down the middle of the street. My eyes darted back and forth at the variety of participants. There was a man holding his wife's hand, sporting a t-shirt that boasted, "Real Men Wear Pink!" A young girl in front of me had a tag that read, "I walk in Celebration of My Mom," and the tag of the girl walking with her read, "I walk in Celebration of Jodi's mom." Several participants who were either too young or too elderly to walk, were being pushed in strollers and wheelchairs by their loved-ones. I was surrounded by thousands of people walking in honor of someone that had been affected by this disease.

So why was I walking? Was it because I wanted to feel good about myself? Was it because of my 31 quota? Was I trying to prove something? To others? To myself?

The sign on my back said, "I walk in memory of Grandma Lois May," but what did that truly mean?

The walk turned east on Balbo and continued north on Columbus down into the darkened lower levels of Randolph. Lori and I chatted about life, about family and memories of what used to be. She told me that she walked the Susan G. Komen because although there isn't a walk for Kidney Cancer, she would like to make a difference. I must admit, that part of me felt a little like a poser. You see, I'm not one of those people who is always striving to make the world a better place. Sure, I give up my seat on the train from time to time, but a lot of my daily focus is spent on....well...me. Not that I don't care about others, and not that I don't care about this cause. But I suppose I felt that my reasons for walking were a little selfish.

You see, my grandmother didn't always get back all of the love that she gave me. There were many times I could have called, or visited, but was too caught up in my own life. In focusing on myself I feel like I missed out on the years I could have really gotten to know her, and I'm sad about that.

So, I guess I walked to tell her that I haven't forgotten her. I walked to say that I'm sorry she had to leave sooner than she wanted to. I walked to tell her that I miss her; the moments we shared and the moments that we should have shared. To put it simply, I walked to tell her that I love her.

As Lori and I crossed the finish line, the emotional and physical exhaustion showed in our faces. I smiled at this quirky blonde with newfound affection. The walk was only a little over an hour, and yet I feel like I know so much more about her:

I know she loves the sunshine
I know she looks great in pink!
I know she is excited to find someone who will make her birthday happy again
I know that she has to put on strength and optimism everyday to survive in a world without her mother.
I gazed at all of the tired but hopeful smiles surrounding us. In a way I suppose we're all survivors trying to cope with the trials life has handed us. That day, we coped by uniting in a walk of hope; the hope that one more woman will get a needed mammogram, that one less family will be left without a mother or grandmother, that each dollar raised brings us closer to a cure.

Some say it's not realistic to hope for a cure, some say it isn't about a cure, but about people living better, longer, even with an unmerciful disease. For me it was about love, and I hope that love can somehow make a difference.


*This blog entry, I feel very blessed to have such wonderful friends and family. I raised far beyond my goal of $1,212 and I would like to thank the people below for their overwelming generosity. I couldn't have done it without you!

Robert Burke
Joy Crenshaw
Edward Gloor
Robert Graczyk
Pepi Hooczko
Betty Lindsey
Kate McFerrin
Robert McGuire
Jon Moran
Blair Robertson
Heather Rucci
Dale and Linda Shearer
Lindsey Shearer
Noah Watkins
North Shore 3rd Singles

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