My Hat

The old camp song keeps running through my head—“My hat, it has three corners, three corners has my hat. If it did not have three corners, it would not be my hat!” As with most old camp songs, it does not have much point—or else the point has been lost over the ages to leave just the fun of the now silly verse.

My hat does not have three corners, but it does have a point. My hat has just over fifty names on it embroidered in two shades of pink.

What do all of the names have in common? They are the names of women who been touched by breast cancer. Seven of those names are related to me by blood or marriage. Another nine or ten are women I have known directly—friends, colleagues, mothers of students. The rest are friends or relatives of people I know. Some are from nearby; others are from across the country or around the globe.

Why are there two colors of pink? One shade celebrates survivors. The other remembers those who lost their battle.

In early September I will be joining my daughter Rachel and many others in the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk to bring awareness and to raise money to work for a cure. Our walk is in Seattle, but similar events are schedule for a dozen cities around the country. The proceeds of the walk go to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and the National Philanthropic Trust. For more information about the 3-Day, got to http://www.the3day.org/. Links there can take you to find more about these two organizations and their goals, and about what the 3-Day itself is about.

What do you do to get ready for such an event? If, like myself, you are a woman of a certain age, and never very athletic to start with, you have to prepare yourself to walk for twenty miles a day for three days straight. My first investment was a good pedometer, and my second was a new pair of walking shoes. My goal was to put on a number of miles each day, with other exercise as well. I have mostly done this, though a bout of flu and triple digit temperatures have put a couple of roadblocks in these plans.

You also make people aware of what you are doing, and seek out their support. I received a tremendous wave of support when I first made known my plan, and I thank those of you who donated, and those who have passed along encouraging words and prayers for success. Consider this a thank you and an update.

If I missed you in my first note of what I am up to, let me ask you for your support in the form of prayers and good thoughts, and ask that you consider a donation in support of this cause. You can sponsor me by donating directly online at my 2009 Breast Cancer 3-Day participant page.


If you would rather use a check, it should be made out to Breast Cancer 3-Day. You can send it to me, or ask me to send you a donation slip to make sure it is credited properly. (You can download a donations slip now, too.)

Once again, for our mothers, sisters, daughters—for wives, aunts and cousins, nieces and friends. Think about how many names might be on your hat....