Loyal Volunteer Shares What Inspired Her to Get Involved 14 Years Ago

Loyal Komen Philadelphia Affiliate volunteer reflects on the reality of '1 and 8' during the Keynote Address at our 2011 Volunteer Thank-You Celebration.

 

I was asked to share with you a little about my involvement as a volunteer for Susan G. Komen for the Cure.  I often get asked why I am so passionate about this cause when breast cancer hasn't really touched me or my immediate family.  Why, when I work both a full-time and a part-time job, serve as editor of my synagogue's monthly newsletter, and have very little free time would I add to my already overloaded life to volunteer for Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure?


Well, 14 years ago, I was sitting in my home office when I heard a commercial on KYW about the upcoming Mother's Day Race for the Cure. At the time, I was a 36-year-old single mom with two young daughters, Devin who was just about 7 and Jessica, who was almost 5.  The commercial noted that ONE of every EIGHT women will get breast cancer.  I'm not sure exactly why that affected me as it did, but I kept thinking about it.  ONE in EIGHT!  That means, between me and my two daughters, we had a THREE in EIGHT chance it could affect one of us.  I felt I needed to do something, but as a single mom, I didn't have the financial means to make a large contribution so I decided to do what I could ... I registered for the Mother's Day Race for the Cure.


Each year that I volunteer at the Race for the Cure, I am moved immeasurably ... by thousands of people who come out ... by the love, the hope, the endurance and strength I feel amongst those people.  I am humbled by the people who come up to the registration table and thank me for volunteering, when it is I who admire them ... the people who have battled breast cancer, whether personally or by supporting a love one.   And each year, it never ceases to amaze me when, I take a moment to look around.  And everywhere I look, I see pink... and the thousands and thousands of people all connected for a few hours in a special bond of camaraderie, all supporting the same cause.


- Jamie Krakow, Volunteer

 

Click here to read more of Jamie's inspiring speech.