60 miles in three days
By KATHLEEN MCKEVITT

Left to right: Team members Janet Hartman, Deanne Livingston-Seifarth and Margie Porter.

The Breast Cancer Three- Day is the participant's description. There are twelve such walks in the United States each year. This year the one in Atlanta begins on the morning of Friday, October 20th at 7:00 a.m. and ends three days later at Piedmont Park at 5:00 p.m.

Team members Margie Porter, Janet Hartman, and Deanne Livingston-Seifarth have, like all participants, committed not only their time, energy, and devotion to the three day walk, but a commitment of $2,200 each in funds raised before the race. "This means that any amount less than the $2,200 not raised by the participant comes out of their own pocket," according to team member Margie Porter. Each walker personally collects from clients, friends, and family the money for research and development for life-saving and promoting drugs and treatments.

October is National Cancer Awareness month and around the nation, thousands of walkers will be pacing off up to 60 miles each to honor survivors, those in recovery, and relatives and friends who lost their lives to the disease. Both men and women can contract breast cancer, and both men and women contribute to the teams walking. Over 3,000 walkers will take part in the Atlanta marathon.

Local team member Deanna Livingston is doing her first walk this year, in honor of her mother. Janet Hartman says that her personal marathon of blistered feet and worn muscles cannot come close to what those who are going through chemotherapy treatments are experiencing.

For each of the walkers, this time is a very personal experience. They are all close to someone who has had or is having a breast cancer experience. The team reminds people that there is 20 percent (researched and documented) less chance of a person developing breast cancer just by walking as a daily exercise program; it is also a reality that a diet low in fat, early detection, cessation of smoking, and ceasing excess alcohol consumption are also known preventatives of all cancer.

Porter adds that if she had been free to walk this year it would have been a very emotional one for her. Her daughter Sierra's teacher, Dana Dyer, lost her battle this summer to breast cancer. Sierra wanted her mom to walk in honor of the teacher she honored. Porter walked 25 miles last year in the marathon. "I'll do 60 next year," she assured the team.

Said Hartman, "There are cheering stations along the walker's route. They're posted on the website, and people are invited to participate in this way as well as attending the closing ceremonies, and contributing through any of us. We do this every year."

To contribute, visit the website shown below, or go to Dr. Livingston's donation web page www.The3Day.org/Atlanta06/de anne to donate online, call

(800) 996-3DAY, or send donations to Blairsville Animal Hospital, 321 Cleveland Street, Blairsville, GA 30512.

The 3-Day Team from Blairsville thank you for your caring and generosity. www.kintera. org/faf/search/searchTeamP art.asp