Uniting for the Cure

I hope to live long enough to witness the cure for breast cancer. In memory of those who’ve lost the battle, for those who are still fighting and for every woman I know, I have committed myself to the Susan G. Komen 3-Day walk for the cure. For those of you not familiar with this event, participants will walk 60 miles over 3 days to raise money for breast cancer research and support programs. That’s right, 60 miles, 3 days…I can do this!

The statistics are frightening:

· 1 out of every 8 American women will develop breast cancer at some point in her life
· Breast cancer is the leading form of cancer death among women ages 35-50
· 250,000 US women living with the disease are under the age of 40
· 8 out of 9 women who are diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history of the disease
· 70% of women who develop breast cancer have no identifiable risk factors

Finding a cure is imperative! More than likely, you have been affected in some way by this disease. Here’s your chance to make a difference. I have until 22 Oct to raise $2,300 to qualify for the walk. I am determined to reach this goal! Let me tell you how you can help. I have set up a widget on this blog that will link you to Amazon. Many of you already frequent this site. If you simply shop Amazon through Avid Readers Unite, 100% of the referral fee will go towards the cause. I just purchased our July selection, ‘Look Again’ by Lisa Scottoline! Another option is the fundraiser through Scentsy Wickless Candles. Buy from the Breast Cancer 3-Day party and 25% of your purchase will be donated. Lastly, you can simply make a donation—no amount is too small. Any help you can provide will get me that much closer to reaching my goal and a little closer to finding a cure for this awful disease. On your mark! Get set! Go!

Stay tuned for updates on my progress! So much work to do! =D

*If you’ve lost a loved one to breast cancer and are interested in adding them to the memorial slideshow I’m creating, please forward their name and a photo (if available) to www.avidreadersunite@live.com.

Inspiration

Once again, I stepped out of my comfort zone and found a book I thoroughly enjoyed. ‘I Am Hutterite’, a true story that reads like fiction, details both the joys and trials of living in a Hutterite community. I have to be honest, I had never heard of Hutterites before reading this book. I guess that’s why I found it so intriguing. Learning about different religions and cultures is one of the reasons I love reading so much. Usually it’s in the form of historical fiction, but every now and again I find a book like this one that really fascinates me.

The story is told from the viewpoint of Anne-Marie Dornn (now Mary-Ann Kirby) who grew up in the Hutterite colony until her parents decides to leave in search of a new life, with seven children in tow. Amazingly, despite the constant struggles of her family and others within the community, Anne-Marie’s view of the colony is always positive. The love and respect Kirby has for her culture and background is apparent through her writing. After leaving the colony, she has difficulty adjusting to modern life and misses the day-to-day routine and communal closeness she felt within the colony. Nonetheless, the Dornn family manages to overcome many obstacles while trying to adapt to a culture that is completely foreign to them. I love how Kirby displays the powerful bond within this family.

I highly recommend this book. If you want to know more about this culture, visit here.