Lana M. Saal, EdD, MCHES, CWP - Making Strides Brevard Walk Committee
While on a trip back to my hometown my sister and I visited my cousin Carol Bilow Lyng who was going through treatment for Breast Cancer. She was in her early 40’s. It was a warm sunny day in June. Her two kids were still in school on that day (her young children). She was a fighter, an athlete, a strong woman, one of my favorite cousins. I looked up to her. I loved her. As she sat on her sofa, with the sun streaming through the living room windows, her head in a wrap (lost her hair) covered in a blanket, chatting with us, smiling her beautiful feisty smile. She was fighting for her life, fighting for the future of her kids (just gone through divorce), and fighting to be "up" for us. I remember thinking, she has no fresh flowers, she should be surrounded in beauty all of time. At that moment I committed to myself if I could ever do anything to help women going through Breast Cancer, I would do all I could.
While back at my job at Brevard Public Schools, I had a meeting with the American Cancer Society Executive Director Gregory Stephens and ACS partner Erica Elliott asking me if I could help promote the upcoming Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. It was the second walk in Brevard County. I jumped in and have never looked back. I have volunteered, promoted, been event Chairperson many times, on the event leadership team (still am), State of Florida Making Strides Board, fund raised enormously successful annual pink 'Dress Down Days" fundraising events at the school district, provided education, resources, had onsite Mammograms, and supported the women and their caregivers in our community. It is my honor to serve, to make a difference, increase awareness on the importance of mammograms, taking care of one's self and one's health, bringing our community together as one in a big beautiful sea of pink for our walk and our cause. It all started with my cousin Carol. She is my why? What’s your Why?