Meet the J-Walkers! My name is Joanne Harrington. I am captain of the J-Walkers with Maria Lannutti. The J-Walkers formed in 2006 in order to train, raise money and find mutual support in preparation for the Philadelphia 3-DAY event. We are women and young men from all walks of life from South Jersey and Philadelphia. I started walking in support of my dear friend's mother who passed away several years ago from breast cancer. Please read the stories of some of our team members and remember to give generously so that we may eradicate breast cancer forever.
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Joanne Faccenda- Hello, I am the second J in J-walkers. In January of 2006 I sat down and took time to read the notes and look at the pictures that came with my Christmas cards.
I received my usual card from my friend Jeanne`s son along with a picture of his newborn daughter. He named his daughter Jeanne in memory of his late Mother, Jeanne Giltinan Burge. Jeanne had been my best friend since I was six years old. She lost her battle with breast cancer at the age of forty.
As fate would have it, a 3-day commercial came on. The rest is history, I decided to make a difference so other women would be able to hold and love a new grandchild. Crying does not help, action does.
The next day, I received a call from a good friend, Joanne Harrington. She too had decided to walk and that is how the J-Walkers came to be. We walked in 2006 and 2007 in Philly, and also crewed in San Diego in 2007.
Our team is old and young, and from all walks of life. We have shared many tears, and also many good laughs. We all have one thing in common, eradicate breast cancer!!!
I am proud to walk with all of these women, and for all women. Please help us by clicking on the donate button, or support us by attending our fund raising events.
Thank You
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Hi, my name is Jill Pellegrini and I'm a 3 time cancer survivor. It started when I was 26 years old with breast cancer, then I got diagnosed again at age 36 with breast cancer and at age 37 with uterine cancer. I've had a total of 22 surgeries throughout this process, chemotherapy three times and radiation twice. I've also had to go through a double mastectomy and hysterectomy before the age of 38. The reason I am walking 60 miles is I'm hoping I can make a difference, to give women out there strength, hope and courage, so they never have to go through this ordeal in their life time. One of the things that helped me get through every day is that I always smile and keep a positive attitude and try to laugh at everything. Sincerely, Jill Pellegrini
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Hello, my name is Margie. I am a 3 year breast cancer survivor!!!!!
I have joined a Susan G. Komen 3-DAY team called the J-Walkers this year to try to make a difference in not only your daughters and my daughters' lives but your granddaughters and their daughters and granddaughters' lives. Please go to the "Donate Now" tab of this site to donate towards this cure.
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Eileen - This is my first year participating in the 3-DAY breast cancer walk. When Joanne asked me to join her team, I thought about my friends and family members that I've lost to some type of cancer. So I decided to walk in their memory, and at the same time raise money for a great cause, and hopefully make a difference in the battle against breast cancer.
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Hi, I'm Jill Simmermon. On April 10, 1998 I lost my Mom to breast cancer -- she started battling cancer when she was in her 40's -- she was very strong and very brave for her family. She didn't want us to worry...clearly, she was carrying all of this herself. After she passed I was very generous in donating to Breast Cancer Awareness. However, in 2006, I decided that simply sending in a check wasn't significant enough. I need to something BIG!! I had heard commercials for the 3-Day but didn't think I could do it... and I didn't think that one more person walking would ever make a difference. All I can say is "wow"...if you've never experienced something BIGGER than you, you really owe it to yourself to. At the first closing ceremony at Villanova in 2006 I committed that as long as I'm healthy, I'll be actively involved in the 3-DAY. Last year we traveled to Boston to participate in that 3-DAY. This year I'm lucky enough to be part of the elite J-Walkers (a group of women that I met training for the 2006 walk) and will be back walking in Philadelphia in October.
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Hey...I'm Holly on the right and these are my girls. I hate to walk but my sister talked me into it. Now that I'm involved I'm glad she did!! It's fulfilling to be a part of such a committed team that's fundraising and walking to help such a great charity.
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Michelle - In 2006, I was dismayed to hear about the struggle of a high school friend who was fighting to beat breast cancer over many years, one day at a time. I wondered what I could do to support her and other women fighting to live. As if she read my mind, my dear friend (and J-Walker captain) sent me an email telling me she was going to walk and asked if I would walk or support her. I realized that this was something I could do to help find a cure so that my friend and other struggling as she is, have the best chance of surviving this disease. Walking 60 miles is a piece of cake compared to the daily lives of women living with breast cancer and something I can do to help make a difference in their lives.
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Maria - After walking in 2006 and 2007, I could not imagine being left out of this amazing weekend. This a life changing event. I walk for the many, for my family and friends, and for those who have or had cancer, and hope that some day we'll all just do this for the fun of it. If you can't walk with us, please stand behind us and sponsor us generously!!!
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Mary - Hi! My name is Mary. In 2006 a friend asked me to do the 3-DAY walk for breast cancer with her. After attending the orientation and signing up, now we had to raise $2,200! That's alot of money," I said. But my friend said "keep your eyes on Jesus, not the storm." That I did, and raised over $3,000!! This year, as a J-Walker, together we are raising thousands to help fight breast cancer - for our mothers, our sister, granddaughters, girlfriends. And don't forget the guys. Yes, they can get breast cancer also. Please help us and sponsor us or make a donation. Thank you.
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MOTHER AND DAUGHTER
JO AND JEN
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Jo - I joined the J-Walkers in 2007 after signing up for the 3-DAY event. I got involved in memory of my Godmother and Aunt Minnie and my cousin, Lucy, both lost to breast cancer. Then I realized that I also walk not only for my daughters and granddaughter, but my son and grandson. Men get breast cancer too. The ladies on the J-Walker team made me feel instantly welcome and "at home." In 2008, I convinced my daughter and sister-in-law to join. I plan on continuing this fight until breast cancer is eradicated.
Jen - After attending the closing ceremonies last year, it was an easy decision to decide to sign up to walk this year. I want to do this not only to have this experience with my mother but to show my daughter what you can do to help in this world. I want to do this so a cure can be found and my daughter and future grandchildren won't have to deal with this disease.
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Julie and Kym
Golf for the Cure 2007
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Julie - I walked in the 2006 3-DAY in honor of my Mom, Judy, a breast cancer survivor. I am committed to raising money and awareness until there is a cure for breast cancer. I want everyone to be as lucky as I am ....I still have my Mom. Together I believe we can all make a difference in the lives of millions of people.
Kym - Hello- As many of you know I am once again walking in the Philadelphia Breast Cancer 3Day. I am proud to be a part of the largest team in Philadelphia, The J Walkers. My team of more than 30 women and young men is again coming together to try and help eradicate breast cancer. Each walker is required to raise $2200. To help us reach our goal and raise money many wonderful stores are offering our team a commission for any on line purchases that are made thru our website. These are stores that we all shop at, such as Best Buy, Walmart, Target and Staples. Please visit our team website http://jwalkersforthecure.com/ and click on the link Our Shopping Mall to see the list of more than 500 stores. Just keep us in mind when shopping on the internet, and remember that you must enter the stores website thru the J Walkers website for our team to receive the commission.
Once again, thank you for your support.
Kym and The entire J Walkers family
We walk to show our support.
We walk for those who cannot.
We walk because we can.
We walk because we care.
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Melissa - My four kids are my biggest fans. They support me in every way they can. I wanted to walk so that a cure for breast cancer could be found. I want my children to grow up in a world that is cancer-free. I walk in honor of my Mom, Susan, and my friend, Stacy
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My name is Alison and I am walking 60 miles to help eradicate breast cancer. I am walking for those people who can't. I am walking for the thousands of men and women who have been affected by this disease and their families. I am walking to ensure that I have a long and happy future with these two people, my mother and son, and the rest of my friends and family who I love so dear.
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Sandy H - This will be my first 3Day journey in the fight against breast cancer. I am fortunate to have found this amazing group of walkers, J-Walkers for the Cure, to share this journey with! Their support has been unbelievable to say the least!
You may ask me, why do I walk? There are so many reasons but let me list two of them. One reason is that I personally lost my beloved Aunt Hilda a number of years ago to breast cancer and I miss her still. The other reason is found in the following paragraph, which reflects the pain and loss experienced by a coworker of mine who sadly lost her beloved mother to breast cancer.
“Every year about this time I begin to miss my Mom with a renewed intensity. This time of year holds so many special memories for me with my Mom. Mothers’ Day, her and my Dad’s wedding anniversary, her birthday…I could go on but if I do, I won’t be able to continue to write.
Each year I reflect on how lucky and blessed I am to have had a mother with so much love, strength, courage and dignity. Even though she is not here every day in the way I’d like her to be, I know she has never really left me.
I struggle with the idea that in some way she will be forgotten or her memory diminished in some way over time. This year I was blessed to find a way to honor my mother and her battle with breast cancer. One of my coworkers is participating in the Susan G. Komen 3 day Walk for a Cure for breast cancer. I agreed to sponsor her in this amazing undertaking. Sandy will be wearing a pink ribbon with the name Marge Moran in honor of my mother as she walks. I am very touched by that.”
Perhaps now you understand why I walk…
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Mark and Ryan
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Mark and Ryan are two brave, focused young men who know that it takes women and men from all walks of life to make a difference. They are 16 years old and about to enter their junior year of high school. Mark's Mom has been a J-Walker for 2 years and Mark wanted to help make a difference. He asked his friend, Ryan, if he would like to do the walk with him. Without even a second of hesitation, Ryan said yes! They both joined the team and are trying to raise their $2,200 to walk with our team. J-Walkers for the Cure is proud to have both of them with us. Welcome Mark and Ryan!
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