By Andrew Hackmack
Or at least see that everyone afflicted with the disease can be cured. Valley Stream residents Nora Hickey and Kathy Leistner are co-captains of the team which includes a two-time breast cancer survivor.
The group will participate in the annual Avon Walk, a two-day, 39-mile event through New York City. They must raise $18,000 -- $1,800 each -- by the October race, and so far the group is a little more than halfway there.
Leistner she has wanted to participate in this walk for a few years and this year everything finally fell into place. "It's a big commitment," she said. "It's a lot of money to raise. If you don't raise it, you have it to pay it yourself."
The group hosted a garage sale on May 17 at Leistner's house on Fletcher Avenue. The next big event will be a Happy Hour on June 14 at Charlie Meaney's. Hickey said the owners have donated the restaurant space, food and entertainment for the event so all money raised can go straight to breast cancer research. "I'm just very grateful to all the people there and for all their help," Hickey said. "Hopefully this will be a big success in getting us closer to our goal."
Hickey said she decided to participate because her sister and a close friend are both breast cancer survivors. She said the survival rate is about 90 percent but that isn't good enough. "We're aiming for 100 percent," she said.
Early detection is key, Hickey explained, but even a simple test is a nerve-wracking experience for any woman. "We go for mammograms every year," she said, "and we cringe until we get the results."
Denise Connelly is the friend of Hickey who is a breast cancer survivor. Connelly has now beaten the disease twice -- 1999 and 2005 -- and said she was saved both times because it was found early. When Hickey asked her to join to team for the October walk, Connelly joined in hopes of helping others survive breast cancer. "Some women aren't as lucky as I am," Connelly said.
Connelly, a teacher St. Helen's in Howard Beach, has already exceeded her personal objective, with $3,000 collected so far mostly through her school. It is her hope that when her students are older, they don't have to worry about breast cancer as a killer.
Previously, Connelly said she had kept it a secret at the school, but found so much support when she began to fundraise for the upcoming walk.
Connelly said she is looking forward to the Oct. 4-5 walk. She has heard there are some very powerful and inspirational speakers over the two-day event. Many women share their stories of how they survived breast cancer.
The team members will be staying overnight in a tent, which Hickey admits is "very out of my comfort zone." She said the last time she camped out was when she was 18, about 30 years ago. "I hated it then," she said. "Maybe I'll like it now."
Hickey said what's important is the cause and walking in honor of those she knows who have overcome their battles with breast cancer. She leads team members on Saturday morning walks to prepare for their upcoming 39-mile venture. Leistner takes the Sunday morning group through the village park.
"We're going to try and do some really long walks," Leistner said, adding that they do about five miles at a clip now. They will be joined by about 4,000 walkers in New York City from all over the region. Her team, the Long Island Strong Women, includes six members from Valley Stream as well as participants from Malverne, Long Beach, Oceanside and Queens.
Connelly, too, is getting ready for the long walk. Once the school year ends, she said she will kick it into high gear. "It's a lot of training," she said, "but it's a lot of fun. The women are great and it's for a good cause."
