Monrovia Woman Walking to End Breast Cancer
By Monrovia Weekly
Published: Friday, July 30th, 2010
Janna Delgado seeks support to represent her home town in Avon Santa Barbara Walk for Breast Cancer
By Candyce Columbus
Since 2003 the Avon Foundation for Women (www.avonfoundation.org) has raised $320 million through the dedication of nearly 120,000 participants in the annual Avon Walks for Breast Cancer. Last year alone, despite the challenging economy, nearly 21,000 participants helped raised more than $52 million from hundreds of thousands of donors.
“Thanks to funds raised, we are able to award grants to organizations that provide access to screening and care for everyone regardless of their ability to pay, as well as accelerate research to help end breast cancer,” says Avon Foundation for Women President Carol Kurzig. “The fundraising and impact of the Avon Walk series has never been more important and we are most definitely ‘in it to end it.’”
The Avon Walks are non-competitive weekend fundraising walks for all fitness levels that require a significant commitment from participants. Each walker is required to raise at least $1,800 in donations and prepare physically for the event, which offers the option of walking a marathon (26.2 miles) or a marathon and a half (39.3 miles) over the two days.
Walks began this year in April in Houston, Texas, the first of nine U.S. cities. Next up is the Santa Barbara Avon Walk on September 11 and 12.
Local resident Janna Delgado has decided to represent Monrovia as a participant in the Santa Barbara Walk. She took a few minutes from her “training schedule” to answer some questions.
Question: What made you decide to take on this Herculean task?
Answer: My reasons for doing the walk started out as selfish ones. I am always trying to lose a few pounds and I thought what better way to be motivated to walk than to do it for a good cause. And I’ve always wanted to complete a huge challenge. I do not have an athletic bone in my body. Though I try to get to the gym regularly, I still can’t say I enjoy it. But I do enjoy walking. I’ve often thought about doing the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, though walking 39 miles in two days (26.2 miles the first and 13 the second) seemed impossible. However, I decided I’ll never know if I can do it if I don’t try. So I started walking. When I walked 10 miles for the first time, and actually felt really good, I was convinced I could walk 26.2 in one day. And if I could do that, I could do 13 the next. So I registered to walk in the Santa Barbara Avon Walk!
Q: Did you have any personal reasons for your decision to participate?
A: Once I signed up and began reading the materials that are sent to me regularly, I realized that Breast Cancer is a very serious disease. My sister is a survivor, and I have several acquaintances who are survivors as well. I’d never even really considered the possibility that it is a disease from which people can die, simply because everyone I know who has had it is still alive and thriving. However, it is a very serious disease. Thousands of people die from it every year. So I also decided I would walk for my sister and my friends, and all those who are battling the disease even now.
Q: What has been the hardest part?
A: The walking has been a piece of cake compared to the fundraising part. It’s not my strong point to say the least. But as I was doing a 5 mile walk one morning, and thinking of ways to raise money for the cause, I thought I would reach out to the city I’ve come to love. My husband and I moved to Monrovia in 2007 and it didn’t take us long to fall in love with our new community. We love Old Town and the Farmer’s Market and the fact that we can walk to many local places. I have even found several routes around town that I use for training walks.
My hope is that through this article I can represent the City of Monrovia at the Avon Walk. I’m hoping to get donations from local residents and businesses to proudly represent the generosity of our city to Avon and to the other hundreds of walkers I will be joining in September.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to say?
A: I am also always looking for a walking partner. I’d be interested to know if there are any other Avon walkers nearby. Perhaps we can all join together for Team Monrovia! I can be reached at jannabobanna@verizon.net.
All donations to the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer are tax deductible. Monrovia residents who would like to support Delgado can make credit card donations by going to www.avonwalk.org, and clicking on the “donate now” button. Type in Janna Delgado, click on “find a walker,” click on her name in the Santa Barbara walk. That will take donors to her page where the donation can be made. If someone would like to make a donation by check, please contact Delgado at her email address.
Early detection can help save lives. Women are encouraged to discuss breast cancer screening with their doctors, make informed decisions about what age to start mammography and get to know their risk and risk reduction strategies. For more breast cancer information and resources, visit www.cancer.org (keyword breast cancer) or www.avonfoundation.org, where free printable breast cancer informational literature is available.
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