Mark Staffing Congratulates Staffing Specialist Shana Martin!

One year ago I watched my Mom walk in the Weekend to End Breast Cancer. I followed her throughout the weekend and was supportive, but did not realize the impact of what she was doing until I watched her walk across the finish line and into the closing ceremonies. What a selfless act. It was while watching the closing ceremonies that I realized this was something I could do to make a difference. Being a woman, having a Mom, two Sisters, numerous Aunts, Great Aunts and cousins I felt this cause was true to my heart. I decided then that I would walk in the event in 2007. I was going to walk 60 kilometers for the prevention of and a world without breast cancer!

I set out on my journey in March of 2007 with an intensive training plan and the need to raise a daunting amount of money. In order to walk, each participant had to raise a minimum of $2000. I only had to send out one email informing people about the cause, as well as my determination to help and the donations poured in. That was the easy part. I am truly thankful to have wonderful people in my life who believe this was a necessary cause to support. Now for the hard part…training begins…5 months of preparation.

July 28th, 2007
37 degrees Celsius
The first day of the walk. My team and I, the “Ya Ya’s for Ta Ta’s”, headed to the Round Up Centre at 6:00a.m. to get ready. Breakfast was served and the opening ceremonies began. With survivors of breast cancer and their families watching, the reality hit that we were walking for them. This was going to be life changing. We started walking though the streets of Calgary and saw the support of the wonderful city we live in. We walked along the river towards Eau Claire, up the Centre Street bridge, through Crescent Heights and then to the University….wow! I was in awe; I had always thought it was so far. Never would I have imagined that I would ever walk from downtown to the University. Next, we walked past the Foothills Hospital and the Tom Baker Cancer Centre where we were greeted by patients and the Breast Cancer Research team. They had music playing and bubbles blowing, it was a celebration of what we were doing and it was incredible. We carried on along Memorial Drive and into downtown, through Killarney and ended day one at Currie Barracks. 35km done….25 to go and off to the medical tent to get my blisters taken care of!

July 29th, 2007
32 degrees Celsius
The last day of the walk. We started out of Currie Barracks, heading down towards the Rocky View Hospital, along Elbow drive, up to Chinook Centre, through Elbow Park and finished our journey all the way back to the Round Up Centre. As we walked into the Stampede grounds, we were greeted with car horns all the way. Seeing our families, friends and the survivors cheer us on as we walked the final few steps; the reality of what we had just accomplished set in. I saw my family, hugged them, cried and embraced the moment and emotions that went with it. Going into the Round Up Centre walkers that had finished earlier greeted us too. The walkers all got blue shirts to wear and the survivors received pink. Walking through a line of hundreds of people, high-fiving them while they cheered and screamed was the most incredible feeling. As I was limping around the room and watching more and more pink shirts appear, I realized that my feet would heal; I have been lucky enough to not be diagnosed with cancer and for that I should be thankful. Preparing for the closing ceremonies we stood next to the group of survivors. Here are women and men who have fought and won. They are fighters and looking at them made what I did hit home. My life and heart are forever changed as I helped fight for these survivors and for a breast cancer free future.

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