Teal Trot 5k Walk/Run


This weekend, my dad and I participated in Georgia Ovarian Cancer Alliance's Teal Trot 5k walk/run.
The Survivors' bell

The event raised over $65,000 with 1005 participants and 628 people walking and running overall.

As one of the largest ovarian cancer awareness events in the Southeast, its goal was to provide a morning to celebrate, honor and remember ovarian cancer survivors and patients, their families, caregivers and friends. Proceeds from the event went to support and expand the statewide GOCA Education & Awareness and Patient Outreach programs.

My dad and I chose to walk the course, which I'm glad we did because it was very hilly and walking let us see the beautiful park it was hosted at. The dogs in attendance and festive participants were fun to watch too!

As I was walking with my event shirt on and the teal 'survivor' sash around me, I saw a few people who looked and even mouthed the words "wow" as if I was too young for such a diagnosis. Scary enough, I actually saw a girl younger than me - maybe even younger than a high schooler.

Nonetheless, there were kind souls there that day cheering others on and celebrating with all they could. One woman pat me on my back saying, "Yay, survivor!" and another man, a police officer directing traffic around the course, nodded at me and said "Glad to have you here with us today."

This walk was the first cancer-related event I had ever been to, even counting support groups. I had never been in the spotlight or surrounded by others with a similar diagnosis like mine. The event was an eye-opening and fun experience that put personal faces to the statistics and helped me feel the connection to local families going through similar experiences.

My one regret is not being my creative self and coming up with a more festive look. Various people and teams were wearing teal tutus and tiaras with teal nails and shoes. There was even a teal Wonder Woman!


Overall my first walk for awareness and fundraising opportunity was a huge success. I want to thank my boyfriend's parents and grandparents for donating to my team, Abi's Allstars, and also my dad for attending the event with me.

As far as future events go . . .

In October I will volunteer as a model for Best Strokes- Hadassah Bares All for ART (Awareness, Research, Treatment), an event put on by Hadassah Greater Atlanta, the metro Atlanta chapter of Hadassah. The event has local artists body paint the torsos of breast and ovarian cancer survivors, with the finished masterpieces photographed and auctioned off at a later event to raise money for research.

Members of HGA come together to raise funds in support of their projects in Israel and the United States to promote issues of women's health and family well-being, to study, to educate, and to have fun. Future blog posts and pictures are to come!

For now, enjoy some of the other photos from the event, and as always . . .

Take care of yourselves,

Abi

My dad and I mid-course
Festive tutus!

The finish line!
1 mile down
Teal Trot registration


No comments:

Post a Comment

How We Raised Over $300 in One Week for Cancer Awareness

It is officially the halfway mark of Ovarian Cancer Awareness month! What have you done for yourself or others in spreading awareness an...