Avon 3-Day Walk benefits breast cancer research

Sunday afternoon was a time of rest for Shari Lupton. The 25 year old had just completed a three-day walk from Fort Worth to Dallas, and she was exhausted.

“The last few miles were excruciating,” Lupton said. “It felt like it was impossible, and I didn’t think I could make it.”

Nonetheless, Lupton, a SMU residence hall director, found the determination she needed to complete the walk in the will of others. She participated in the Avon 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk, and it was the fortitude of breast cancer survivors that helped Lupton succeed.

Closing ceremonies for the Avon 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk were held on SMU’s Main Quad Sunday. The event concluded a 60-mile, three-day excursion in which more than 3,000 people participated.

“The purpose of the walk is to benefit everyone suffering from the disease,” Avon Breast Cancer Crusade Director Susan Heaney said. “Mothers, sisters, wives, neighbors, brothers, fathers and husbands are all susceptible to this disease. Our goal is to raise funds to help eradicate it.”

The Avon 3-Day Walk started in 1998 and takes place in 13 cities around the nation. The event has raised over $115 million to pay for breast cancer medical research, patient care, support services, education and early detection programs nationwide.

The three-day walk is part of a larger program called the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade. Pallotta Team Works organizes the walk for the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, which focuses on medically underserved women and raises money for access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer. This was the first time the metroplex has participated in the event.

Heaney announced $500,000 would be awarded to The University of Texas-Southwestern Medical Center to help create a first-class program, which will make access to care easier, allow for clinical trials to underserved women easier, and help identify and monitor women in populations who are at greater risk.

Well more than 3,500 people crowded SMU’s Main Quad for the 3-Day’s closing ceremonies. In her speech, Heaney said over the three-day walking period, 244 people lost their lives to breast cancer.

A walker is required to raise at least $1,900, but the average amount raised was $3,200. Lupton decided to participate in the walk last December but had her doubts about raising enough money. Individually, Lupton raised $1,550, and she joined two other women to raise an additional $2,000. In all, the three women raised just under $6,000.

“It was interesting raising the money,” Lupton said. “People whom I hadn’t spoken to in years sent me money, and some of my best friends didn’t send anything.”

Lupton said she received many notes accompanied with checks. One was from a childhood babysitter. The babysitter told Lupton that she was 82, living alone and battling breast cancer.

“That broke my heart when I read that,” Lupton said. “I would think it would be much harder to be older and going through this alone than to be younger and have a strong support system.”

Lupton wasn’t able to finish the second day’s journey. Calling it the longest day of the walk, Lupton’s feet were sore and ridden with blisters.

“It was really frustrating,” Lupton said. “It was a personal failure. I wanted to finish so badly, but I couldn’t. I would equate that with someone with breast cancer who wanted to do something, but can’t because of their disease and the limits it places on you.”