NEW YORK CITY – The 2012 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer series returns for its tenth year to the New York metropolitan area with the Avon Walk New York on October 20-21. The Avon Walk series brings together thousands of participants – including breast cancer survivors – who are dedicated to raising life-saving funds for the breast cancer cause. Last year’s Avon Walk New York raised more than $8.4 million and attracted 3,500 participants, including 444 breast cancer survivors, from 42 states, Washington, D.C., and six countries.
The Avon Walks offers participants a choice of walking a marathon (26.2 miles) or a marathon-and-a-half (39.3 miles) over a weekend. Walkers raise a minimum of $1,800 to participate and the Avon Foundation for Women distributes the funds raised to local, regional and national breast cancer organizations. Chenango Health Network is a recipient of an Avon Breast Health Outreach Program grant to increase awareness of the life-saving benefits of early detection of breast cancer. The Every Woman Counts in Chenango County Campaign uses the funding from the Avon Foundation for Women to educate Chenango County women and refer them to low-cost or free mammograms and clinical breast exams in their own communities. The Every Woman Counts in Chenango County Campaign encourages Chenango County women to seek breast cancer screenings.
Whether participants are taking part in the Avon Walk for a personal reason or to help support the breast cancer cause, they all have a story to tell. Pamela Hernandez, an employee at Golden Artist Colors, Inc., is a 2 year breast cancer survivor who will participate in her third Avon Walk. She will walk with friends and sisters, one of whom is a 5 year breast cancer survivor. In fact, Pamela walked the first time in support of her sister, and then one month later was also diagnosed with breast cancer. Pamela credits the training she did preparing for the Avon Walk (up to 20 miles per week) for making her strong so she recovered more easily from her breast cancer surgery.
Hernandez has been part of the Every Woman Counts in Chenango County Campaign for several years and appreciates the reminder calls encouraging her to have her yearly mammogram. Pamela’s cancer was only 2mm (the size of pin head) and without a mammogram to detect it, it would have continued to grow and spread.
Pamela’s team, Buel Fuel for Hope will travel to NYC Friday and start their walk with 3000+ walkers at 6 a.m. before the sun comes up on Saturday. They will spend 12+ hours going through many neighborhoods and past famous landmarks including a walk to Brooklyn via the Brooklyn Bridge, but they don’t mind the walk because the goal is to spread awareness for breast cancer. And after 26 miles on Saturday, 13 miles on Sunday is like a walk in the park! Pamela would like to invite you join the team, but if you aren’t ready for that, there is another option – you can make a donation and Buel Fuel will do all the walking! Please email Pamela if you have questions email phernandez777@gmail.com or you can donate online at www.avonwalk.org. Just click on DONATE NOW and choose team: Buel Fuel or participant: Pamela Hernandez.
