Foundation Director Heather Kelley Conquers Philadelphia 3-Day!

Congratulations to our very own Heather Kelley who completed the Philadelphia 3-Day to benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Heather captured her feelings in this touching post for our blog.

Heather wrote,

My exciting 2007 Breast Cancer 3-Day journey is over! This marks my third year walking in the 3-Day, which benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Philanthropic Trust. This year was also special for me as this year’s
event was held the weekend after my wedding! Only such a fabulous event could take the place of a honeymoon! The 3-Day requires walkers to fundraise at least $2,200 per person while training to walk 60 miles over three days. I’m very proud to say that I’ve raised more than $7,500 during the three years I have walked and that I’ve met some incredible people along the way.

Maybe you would like to hear about the “woman in the yellow car” as she is known to Philadelphia 3-Dayers. She comes out every year as a supporter, following the route, playing music, cheering us on. Her enthusiasm is infectious and when you are feeling down, there she is. Or maybe you’d like to know about the two elderly men who followed us around this year with pink pompoms on their shoes and homemade t-shirts to wear each day. I could tell you about the incredible survivors who walk each year – some who have just finished their chemo treatments… or the 16 year old young woman who walked with her mom, also a survivor. Perhaps you’d like to know about the all volunteer crew who taped our knees, popped our blisters, served our meals, gave us water, patrolled while we slept safely in our tents, and made sure we were safe on the route.

But, I want to tell you about my friend, Melanie, who is an awesome Phi Sigma Sigma alumna from Xi (Temple University). Mel is the person who inspired me to begin this journey three years ago and encouraged me to think outside of the box I had put myself in. We all have ideas about what our personal limitations are (whether others would agree or not). My roadblock has always been athleticism. I’ve always doubted my capabilities and stereotyped myself as someone with no athletic ability. And Melanie forced me to re-evaluate that belief.

Mel first walked in the 3-Day four years ago in California, before the event was over held in Philadelphia. When she told me she was going to walk 60 miles over three days and sleep in a tent for two nights, I laughed in her face and wrote her a check. When she returned, she was completely enthralled with the power of the event. She quit her job, went to work for the company that plans the 3-Day and began recruiting sisters to get involved. A bunch of our friends signed up to walk right away and I began to realize that my negative attitude was what prevented me from joining them in their excitement. I spent a lot of time soul searching and talking to Mel about whether or not I could do this. She encouraged me to just do it and to face my fears about it along the way. The 3-Day is the hardest thing I’ve ever done… all three times, but also the most rewarding.

Although the 3-Day is not a Phi Sigma Sigma event, it’s really all about Phi Sigma Sigma to me. Through Phi Sig, I get to meet amazing women like Melanie…women who challenge me and inspire me… women who embody our core values and belief in the strength of sisterhood. I am thrilled that Melanie and I have decided to take our 3-Day journey in a new direction next year, as members of the volunteer crew. We can’t wait to make a difference in a whole new way.