It was a Friday afternoon in late January when I received the dreaded news from my doctor - I was officially diagnosed with having breast cancer.  In complete disbelief, I proceeded blindly into the world of treatment at Dana Farber.  What I know now is that I am forever changed and actually grateful for having gone through the experience.  I was lucky in that I had a phenomenal support group including my husband, two young kids, doctors, parents, in-laws and friends.  As part of my mental and physical rehabilitation, I joined a crew for cancer team, known as the Wellness Warriors.  Every Wednesday night, I looked forward to getting out on the Charles River to paddle with my new-found group of survivor friends.  They offered support and hope of a better day in a rather difficult time.    

We are fighters first with our own personal battles with cancer and now, we are fighting to bring hope to others touched by it as well.   It is my personal mission to provide a physically and spiritually challenging support group for others like me.  I only hope one day that enough money is raised and lives are saved so that my children can embrace life without having to worry about the pain and heartache caused by cancer.     

Thank you for donating - it means the world to so many, none of whom asked for this nasty thing called cancer!