By Lori LeVander

I am an environmental scientist with the Department of Ecology, and I have lived in Sammamish for the last 26 years. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002 when I was just 46 years old. I had no risk factors; – except I was a woman and I had breasts. I was an athlete and exercised regularly. I consider myself very healthy. And yet I heard those life altering words: “you have cancer.”

When you get that diagnosis, it’s so shocking. You think they are wrong. This just can’t be! I mentally sunk into a trench and threw my own personal pity party.

Then, when I was about a year and a half out, I saw a TV ad for the Komen 3-day walk. Coincidentally, it started on my birthday. I thought, I need to do this. So I signed up.

For me, the 3-Day event really was life changing. You meet other people who have gone through much of what you have experienced, many worse off than you, and you hear their stories. It’s so incredibly inspiring, challenging, and so sad at the same time.

I am committed to do the walk every year. I also will try to get others to walk with me, because it is so life changing, healing, and we need to step up and get involved to find a cure.

In addition to the 3-Day, I do the Romp-to-Stomp and the Race for the Cure. The Romp-to-Stomp is so much fun. You get to put on snow shoes and take a beautiful three mile walk in the woods around Stevens Pass. The Race for the Cure also is wonderful because of the great camaraderie you find there. You see so many breast cancer survivors, and you realize what a large community we are. Seeing men and women who are 20-year, 30-year, 40-year survivors gives you hope.

A lot of women will tell you these Komen activities are great therapy and are so healing. The Komen sponsored events get people out exercising in the fresh air and having a lot of fun together. I think it can change your outlook, make you feel glad to be alive. That’s why I encourage everyone to do them with me.

When I was first diagnosed, I went online for information, and there just wasn’t a lot available. Now, you can go online with Komen Puget Sound and find great resources, questions to ask when you see your doctors, and opportunities for support groups. I am a proud supporter of our local Puget Sound Affiliate because of the funding and support they provide to our community. Together we are making a difference.

More information is available at Komen Puget Sound.