Diane Krcma's PledgePage
Dear Family and Friends,
Next month I will be walking as a participant in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in Portland Oregon, July 12-13. I knew it would be hard for me to write for donations for a personal walking goal I established last fall. But with the events of this Spring, I feel great emotion now towards the cause of Breast Cancer and what the knowledge and research has meant to me.
I had decided to take a year off from the computer industry, or "my" sabbatical, and follow my desires to do some personal goals last fall. I was going to take advantage of a great lay off package and take a risk of finding a job within a turmoil job market. I registered to walk a half of marathon in December. It was January that I walked my first mile. Well, I thought I was walking a mile, it turned out to be only a half a mile so that was my first set back.
As fate had it, I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer myself the middle of February. I had no idea how prevalent this disease is. It seems where ever I go every one has a personal story how they have friends or a family member who have been touched by this disease. I guess me sending you this letter mean you are within my circle.
When it first occurs you read every informative article you can find and you start reading about the statistics and for most of us we hang our very life on those statistics. Because I had early detection, because it was small, because I didn't have immediate family with it, my chances are between 94-98% of a full life, if I take the recommended treatment. It is only because of contribution by others and research in the last 20 years that we know those numbers.
I learned that over three million women are living with Breast Cancer, one million women have it, and don't know it. There is a new case diagnosed every 3 minutes. It is the leading cause of death in women from ages 40-55. It kills over 40,000 people a year. With in a women's life time she has one out of eight chance of getting it. I didn't know any of this and I am now part of a "special group". I say "special" because you they never use the word "cured" to describe moving beyond cancer, you are a survivor.
I had surgery and radiation and now trying to get back to my sabbatical plans. Unfortunately during the treatment in the month of May I postpone training and I wasn't sure I would return to walking. I am going towards in spite of the many set backs I have faced. I have walked eight miles last week, which finally gave me encouragement to actually write you for a donation.
I strongly urge yearly mammogram and ask for your donations and prayers that we can find the possible cause, better prevention, treatment and an actual cure for this disease. During the eight weeks of daily radiation treatment I sat with five people that don't have a future because of this disease, all going through it for a second time around. I hope our next generation won't have to experience this disease with such hopelessness.
Thank you for your generous support.
Diane Krcma
Next month I will be walking as a participant in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in Portland Oregon, July 12-13. I knew it would be hard for me to write for donations for a personal walking goal I established last fall. But with the events of this Spring, I feel great emotion now towards the cause of Breast Cancer and what the knowledge and research has meant to me.
I had decided to take a year off from the computer industry, or "my" sabbatical, and follow my desires to do some personal goals last fall. I was going to take advantage of a great lay off package and take a risk of finding a job within a turmoil job market. I registered to walk a half of marathon in December. It was January that I walked my first mile. Well, I thought I was walking a mile, it turned out to be only a half a mile so that was my first set back.
As fate had it, I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer myself the middle of February. I had no idea how prevalent this disease is. It seems where ever I go every one has a personal story how they have friends or a family member who have been touched by this disease. I guess me sending you this letter mean you are within my circle.
When it first occurs you read every informative article you can find and you start reading about the statistics and for most of us we hang our very life on those statistics. Because I had early detection, because it was small, because I didn't have immediate family with it, my chances are between 94-98% of a full life, if I take the recommended treatment. It is only because of contribution by others and research in the last 20 years that we know those numbers.
I learned that over three million women are living with Breast Cancer, one million women have it, and don't know it. There is a new case diagnosed every 3 minutes. It is the leading cause of death in women from ages 40-55. It kills over 40,000 people a year. With in a women's life time she has one out of eight chance of getting it. I didn't know any of this and I am now part of a "special group". I say "special" because you they never use the word "cured" to describe moving beyond cancer, you are a survivor.
I had surgery and radiation and now trying to get back to my sabbatical plans. Unfortunately during the treatment in the month of May I postpone training and I wasn't sure I would return to walking. I am going towards in spite of the many set backs I have faced. I have walked eight miles last week, which finally gave me encouragement to actually write you for a donation.
I strongly urge yearly mammogram and ask for your donations and prayers that we can find the possible cause, better prevention, treatment and an actual cure for this disease. During the eight weeks of daily radiation treatment I sat with five people that don't have a future because of this disease, all going through it for a second time around. I hope our next generation won't have to experience this disease with such hopelessness.
Thank you for your generous support.
Diane Krcma