Welcome, and thank you for visiting our AVON 39 team page! 

On July 7 and 8, we will walk almost 40 miles in the San Francisco Avon 39, The Walk to End Breast Cancer. Avon 39 funds are distributed by the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade to local, regional and national breast cancer organization to support breast cancer education, screening and diagnosis, access to treatment and support services and life-saving research.  For example, $50.00 offsets the cost of a patient’s transportation to-and-from oncology appointments; $100.00 ensures a that a low-income breast cancer patient has childcare during chemotherapy; $125.00 allows a young breast cancer survivor to connect with other survivors and learn crucial information about the heal, fertility and prevention of recurrence; $400.00 connects a medically underserved patient to a screening mammogram and $1,800.00 helps a high-risk patient access to genetic counseling and referral. As of year-end 2015, 75% of the funds went to grants and programs, 21% to fundraising efforts and only 4% to management and general. We each have a very personal story that brings us together for this amazing opportunity.

We have chosen to walk as a team because we all have very personal interests in the ongoing fight against breast cancer. We would like to share our story with you to understand why this all matters.

Cathy Pine: My mom was also diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996. I am pleased to say she is a 20 year survivor, again thanks in part to good medical care and early detection.  I have other family members, grandmother, cousin, sister in law and mother in law, as well as friends who have also had breast cancer and survived!  I had an aunt who lost her 5 year battle with ovarian cancer almost 3 years ago. I walk for all of them in honor and in memory.  

Diana Harrelson: My grandmother was diagnosed at 55 with breast cancer and survived due to early detection and surgery.  However, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 41 and died at 45 from brain cancer in 1992.  Over the years I have feared I would face the same diagnoses and in an effort to regain control over my health I chose in 2014 to be tested for the BRCA gene. I was found to be positive for BRCA 1 and elected to have a double mastectomy/ reconstruction with a bilateral  oophorectomy.  I am walking not only in remembrance of my mother and grandmothers, but more importantly for my daughters futures in hopes that they will find a cure in their lifetimes.

Olivia Harrelson:  When I was younger I was aware that my grandmother and great grandmother had been diagnosed with breast cancer. I was lucky enough to know my great grandmother until she was 90 years old, however I never met my grandmother due to cancer taking her before I was born..  It was not until my mom found out that she was positive for BRCA 1 that I really began to understand how serious this disease is and its impact on my life. My mom chose to have preventive surgeries to avoid cancer. She took away the disease’s chance before the disease could take away her chance. I never knew what bravery was until I saw it in my mom through this tough time.  I am walking not only for my family but for every person that this horrible disease has affected in their lives. I will never, ever give up hope that we will one day find a cure.

Tina DePaul: My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2015. Thankfully, my mom’s story has a happy ending and I am happy to say she is cancer-free and in remission.  My mother was lucky to have good health insurance to help cover the costs of her chemotherapy, radiation, physical therapy and subsequent life-saving surgeries. However, not everyone is so lucky.  I am walking in honor of my mother who fought and won. I walk for all the others who have kicked breast cancer’s butt. I walk for those who are still fighting. And, I walk for those who were not as fortunate as my mom.

Please support our team by clicking the Donate Now button at the top of the page. You can also make individual donations to any team member by clicking on their name, and you’ll be taken to their personal page. If you'd prefer to write a check, just contact one of us and we'll send you the form and information. 

Please check back here frequently to see how we're doing, and thanks in advance for your support!