Curing cancer: A step in the right direction
Story and photos by Petty Officer 3rd Class Connie Terrell
As a member of Coast Guard Sector Boston’s Prevention Department, Lt. Heidi Miller’s job is preventing tragedies
like injuries and deaths at sea, but on May 16 and 17, 2009, Miller focused on preventing a different kind of tragedy: breast cancer.
Miller and her friends from Sector Boston, Stephanie Balow and Lt. Christina Sullivan, joined more than 2,500 walkers for the 2009 Boston Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.
The two-day, 39-mile walk through Boston and several surrounding cities is designed to raise awareness and funds to find a cure for breast cancer.
“Breast cancer runs in my family,” said Miller. “I know this disease is going to touch me sooner or later, so the sooner they can find a cure, the better it will be for all of us.”
Before the walk, as thousands of women and men mingled with friends and finished checking in, walkers pinned signs to their shirts. The signs were lettered with brief, careful words describing their stories of tragedy, triumph and hope.
Miller dedicated her sign to her grandmothers.
“One of my grandmothers is a seven-year survivor,” said Miller. “My other grandmother was diagnosed with it three times before passing away from it two years ago.”
Miller, who has been participating in the walk for the past three years, said the walk is a mix of emotions.
“There isn’t a part of me that isn’t completely aching and sore,” said Miller. “At the same time I’m just sad thinking about my grandmother, and excited that I’m finishing.”
This year, feet throbbing and legs stiff, Miller questioned if she would be able to finish the walk.
“By the 15th or 20th mile, you are literally just thinking ‘one foot in front of the other – I cannot go another step,’” Miller said, but she found the extra boost of energy she needed to keep going from the energy of people at the cheering stations.
“I powered through it and took it one step at a time,” she said. “By the end I was really just thinking of my grandmother and how she’s looking down on me and she’d be so excited and proud of me.”
“We are extremely proud of Lt. Miller here,” said Cmdr. Claudia Gelzer, the chief of Sector Boston’s Prevention Department. “Her inspirational work to fight breast cancer epitomizes the Coast Guard’s culture as lifesavers.”
Every three minutes someone is diagnosed with breast cancer.
“It’s really important that we keep raising the money and awareness that we do here so we can hopefully change those statistics,” said Eloise Caggiano, the program director for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.
To take part in the walk, each participant raises $1,800 for research, treatment, screening and support for medically underinsured women and men, and ultimately, finding a cure for breast cancer.
In addition to receiving donations from family and friends, Miller and her friends met their fundraising goal by making and selling T-shirts.
“Lt. Miller’s enthusiasm and tenacity in raising significant amounts of money and awareness has undoubtedly saved lives,” Gelzer said.
Miller raised $2,200 this year and an estimated $6,000 over the past three years participating in the walk.
“It was a very successful fundraising season,” Miller
said. “I did not expect it to be, especially with hard economic times, but everyone was really generous. Everyone wants to help out as much as they can.”
Participants of the Boston walk raised more than $5.6 million this year, Caggiano said.
Miller said she feels very strongly about raising funds and awareness for treatment, diagnoses and a cure.
“I joined the Coast Guard because I wanted to help people,” said Miller. “I wanted to make a difference everyday. I saw a great opportunity in this event to help people spread the word about breast cancer.”
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