Do you want to know my secret? Committing to the Komen 3-Day walk is actually self-serving.

(267 Days to Go)

There is a significant self-serving component to my decision to commit to the Komen 3-Day. In fact, there are multiple self-serving factors.

The most obvious is that I have already been a direct beneficiary of medical knowledge generated, at least in part, by Susan G. Komen funding. My particular flavor of breast cancer is extremely aggressive, and it is only with targeted therapies that have become available in the past 30 years that major improvements in survival rates have been made. So, it is not hyperbolic to aver that my life depends on it. That said, thanks to the massive strides in therapies that permanently shut down the HER2 protein that ran amuck in my body causing cancer cells to proliferate, the prognosis for a patient with regional spread, such as mine, is now greater than 90% 5-year survival. For those with localized "triple positive" breast cancer, the 5-year survival rate is a remarkable 99%.

Walking in Tobermory, Ontario

Another critical factor in my choice to commit to an intense walking regimen is the role exercise has been playing in reversing the damage my body sustained thanks to the fact that I walked through the cafeteria line of cancer treatments and opted in for every single one.

These treatments put me in the best position to continue to thrive for a long time to come, but they did result in some permanent and some reversible damage to my body. Among these impacts, two years ago (immediately following the end of active treatment), I was advised I had osteoporosis in my femurs and spine.

This diagnosis was the impetus for me to get serious about recovery, specifically the role that high impact activity would need to play.

In order to best inhibit cancer from returning, I had already opted for a full hysterectomy and commenced a daily medication that prevents the creation of estrogen, another factor in the growth of my particular breast cancer. I will continue to take that medication for 5-10 years.

Unfortunately, these tools to prevent my form of cancer contribute to osteoporosis. If my bone density continued to decrease, it would be necessary to discontinue to estrogen suppressing medication.

My doctor proscribed a weekly pill to help reverse, or at least stabilize, bone loss and advised me to eat a lot of dairy and take 1000 mg of calcium daily and a Vitamin D supplement as well.

But my doctor and all the literature I consumed made it abundantly clear that engaging in regular high impact and weight bearing exercise needed to be a priority.

And so my daily walks, which had been on a long self-pity induced hiatus during treatment, resumed. Each day, I went a little farther and chose a steeper hill - with Loki at my side urging me out the front door each morning.

I quickly was forced to accept that my post-treatment body really likes its status quo and resists change. Losing a quarter pound a week became a huge victory. Dropping ten pounds used to be a matter of ignoring desert for a month. This time, it took me all of 2024 - despite pretty darn amazing consistency, to be my own hype woman.

But today I received dramatic confirmation that every step chasing Sara and Andrea up hills they claim "aren't too bad" has been worth it ---- DRUMROLL PLEASE!!

I received the results of my first Dexascan post diagnosis and there has been a 4.7% increase in my hip bone density and a 6.2% increase in spine bone density! I no longer have osteoporosis and am well on my way to leaving osteopenia (pre-osteoporosis) and returning to normal bone density levels.

So, yes. I am going to personally benefit from training for and walking the Komen 3-Day as I continue to build bone density and reclaim the strong body I had before cancer.