Kimm's Story

Hello All! My name is Kimm Alvarado. I am a thirty five year old working mother of three young active children. You would think that I would have more sense then to volunteer to walk sixty miles in three days. And if that weren’t enough… to camp out for 2 nights as well. But this October that is exactly what I will be doing. I am going to be walking (or crawling…whatever it takes) every one of those sixty miles in the Breast Cancer 3-Day event in Philadelphia, PA.This walk will be more then “just a walk”. It will be raising money to support Susan G. Komen for the Cure.This is a very important event for me. My mother, Andi, from Bethlehem, PA was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in early 2002. I can still remember exactly how I felt when I found out. Absolutely terrified that I was going to loose the only parent that I had! I watched as my mother fought every day to beat this horrible disease, and all I could do for her was to stand by and watch as she went through surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy treatments. My mom won her fight (Five years Cancer free December 2, 2007.) She is a survivor. She has shown me how to be strong, how to fight. How to be a survivor. She is an inspiration. She is my inspiration. I walk in her honor.More recently my Aunt Sandi, from Massachusetts was diagnosed with Breast Cancer as well. She too went through surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy treatments. She too is a survivor. She too is strong. She too is an inspiration. I walk in her honor too.You may know someone who has been affected by Breast Cancer, and I would be proud to walk in his or her honor as well.As I prepare for this challenge, walking mile after mile, I think of those who have traveled the road before me, those who are traveling the path with me and those who are yet to follow. There are times when I don’t feel like training, or my feet hurt or I’m just too tired. Then I think of all the people that I love who have been touched by Breast Cancer. I walk for them. I walk for our friends, wives, mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, cousins. And especially for our beautiful daughters. So years from now, my daughter won’t have to walk in “Memory” of her grandmother.I know that you understand why this is so important for me and understand why I’m asking for your help.The walking is the easy part, but asking for dollars is not. In making this commitment, I have committed (or maybe I SHOULD BE committed) to raising $2,200 to help fight Breast Cancer. I know that I have plenty of time to meet my goal, but I am hoping to meet it early and even surpass it. I am asking for your support in this adventure and consider making a fully-tax deductible donation. A dollar for every mile would be wonderful, but I am grateful for what ever you can do.You can also donate directly online athttp://www.the3day.org/philadelphia07/kimmalvarado.Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I hope that you’ll share in this incredible experience with me. Please feel free to forward this information on to anyone who you think would like to help in my adventure and to find a cure for this deadly disease.All my best,Kimm Alvarado