10/06/08 Update: The photo above shows Shelley (waving) and her friends roughly halfway along their marathon Saturday. Shelley not only successfully completed the walk, but she also was recognized by the organizers as the single highest fundraiser among all the participants! Many congratulations to Shelley on both counts.
Shelley Gregory (back row, fifth from left) stands surrounded by the children attending Cara Lucey's (front row, third from right) 13th birthday party, who raised more than $1,000 for Shelley's 2008 Walk Across Southeastern CT.
Last year Shelley Gregory of Lyme participated in the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation Walk Across Southeastern CT. Back then, she was glad to be able to walk a marathon from Old Saybrook to Harkness State Park and, in the process, support an organization that directs 100% of the fundraising dollars it raises to breast cancer research.This year, she’s doing it again, but, this time, Shelley is walking those 26 miles and 385 yards knowing that she’s changed from someone who was just happy to help cancer research to someone who herself may benefit from the research funded by the Terri Brodeur organization.
Shelley was diagnosed with breast cancer at the end of this past July. Three weeks later she had a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery at Yale-New Haven Hospital. She should now be undergoing chemotherapy and radiation, but Shelley asked her doctors if she could postpone the start a few weeks in order to take part in the walk, which is being held this Saturday, Oct. 4.
With her oncologist’s blessing, that is exactly what she is doing – only Shelley won’t be entirely alone this year. Twelve of her best friends have teamed up to accompany Shelley on her walk to ensure that at no point is she alone. They have organized a training schedule and had special team T-shirts printed, the design of which is still a secret from Shelley.
Shelley says, “I’m going to take it slow, but it’s really important to me to do this. What better way to start the next phase of my journey (several months of chemotherapy and radiation) … than after completing this walk?”
The outpouring of support from the community has been, “Unbelievable,” notes Shelley, adding, “That’s what’s getting me through this.”
She especially wants to mention the group of 12 and 13-year-old children pictured above, who attended a birthday party for Cara Lucey recently. Instead of gifts, each child made a donation to the Terri Brodeur Foundation in honor of Shelley, and more than $1000 was raised. “Isn’t that beautiful?” Shelley asked rhetorically.
The night of the party, she was so overwhelmed by the whole event that, despite, it being only a short time after her return from hospital, in typical determined fashion, Shelley insisted on surprising the party-goers so that she could see them in person to offer her thanks.
Rather than dwelling on the negatives of her situation, Shelley is remarkably upbeat about her situation. “Look at the positives,” she says with conviction, then, laughing, she points out, “Look at all the time I’m spending with my husband!”
Taking a serious tone, Shelley comments that if she is able, in any way, to raise the awareness of the need for regular mammograms, especially digital mammograms and ultrasounds, then that would be “good.” Her oncologist believes Shelley’s cancer went undetected for as long as two years, despite her regular (non-digital) mammograms.
In this file photo, three paricipants in the 2006 Walk Across Southeastern CT arrive outside Oliver's Tails in Old Lyme to be greeted with cheers and symbolic pink balloons.
On Saturday, several hundred people will take part in the walk, which passes along Rte. 156 in Old Lyme, turns left up Cross Lane and right onto Mile Creek Rd., before entering East Lyme as it rejoins Rte. 156. Spectators are encouraged at all points along the route to offer support to the walkers.
We’ll be cheering for Shelley and hoping she crosses that finish line with as much enthusiasm as she had when we interviewed her. We’ll also be thinking of the wonderful words she shared with us that she says have inspired her on this unexpected journey, “Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over … it turned into a butterfly.”
Editor’s Note: If you would like to support Shelley’s efforts, visit www.tbbcf.org, click on Sponsor a Walker and enter Shelley’s name (Michele Gregory). There are options to pay by credit card or check.
|
