Hey, everybody! Cathy Normanstein, here. I'll keep this short. First of all, I want to thank everybody for coming out to the 5th annual Lincolnshire 5k Walk/Run for Popular Cancers. It has been my honor to organize this event and design these T-shirts every year, but I couldn't have done it without my four co-chair-people, who really ought to get more credit. I want to thank you each by name, so we printed that at the bottom of today's brochure.
Five years ago, I approached local businesses about donating money torward research for the cancers we all feel comfortable talking about. At first they seemed reluctant to join the search for a cure...that is until I assured them that they would only have to fight cancer if another person walked around a track several times. That's added value! By the way, I meant that promise, so know that if you cut corners you could be costing lives.
Over the last four years, all of you that are gathered here today have helped me raise over $10,000 for research toward finding a cure for the types of cancers that aren't gross. And talk we will, because, even more important than the money, we are raising awareness. In 2005 an informal study conducted by our planning committee found that 20% of Lincolnshirians hadn't heard of breast cancer and another 15% had heard about it once, but forgot. Not anymore. As we make our way through our route, we are shattering the ignorance for each of the types of cancer that we have managed to tie to a famous person or our gender identity. Oh, a quick aside on that note: I wanted to apologize to the survivors of cervical cancer. Our search for an awareness color for you gals was exhaustive and when we realized that autism already claimed the multicolor thing, we had to switch to a bright-rose/medium turquoise plaid pattern. You should get your hats in the mail next week.
Also, a note on the route. Thanks for making it here in spite of the rain. I wish our date planning went as well as our T-shirt planning! Of course, some things have to be delegated to my four chair-people...to mixed results...you know who you are. Anyway, eight laps around the gym equals about a k.
Finally, I want to thank the real heroes that are with us here today: the women and men who have survived popular cancers. Ladies, I keep doing what I do because I am so inspired by your bravery. Your bravery to keep fighting! So much braver than all the people who get cancer and then die like cowards. Your life and death struggle with an incredibly painful disease and its almost equally severe treatment have inspired all of us here that didn't have to work on saturdays to walk around this gym for roughly three hours. Seeing you here with us alive today is all the thanks we need. Well, that and the T-shirts!
Anyway, enough said. Grab your commemorative tote-bags! Let's get going!
