This past Sunday, the sun rose and cast the sky and streets surrounding Fashion lsland in a wash of pink, as tens of thousands of people came out to run, walk, cheer on and support family, friends and even total strangers in Orange County’s Komen Race for the Cure, the world’s largest and most successful educational and fundraising event for breast cancer. (Whew! That was a mouthful!) (ockomen.com)

    I was there manning the Churm Media booth with some of my colleagues. Our task was to pass out about 2,000 magazines (and even toothbrushes to a lucky few). I must admit, when my alarm went off at 5:30 on a Sunday morning, I had to question why I signed up in the first place. But once I got there, I was so thrilled to be part of this spectacular event.

    While the official numbers haven’t come out yet, I would venture to say there were at least 40,000 attendees. I was amazed at the show of support.  I spoke with one woman who had 5 sisters who had all been diagnosed with breast cancer. All but her. I asked her how she had escaped that “bullet.” She said, “I didn’t.  I had ovarian cancer.”

    I have 3 sisters and it got me thinking: “Odds are, one of us will come down with breast cancer.” But which one? We’re all in our 40s now, and the average age of women who get breast cancer is early 50s. We’re all pretty healthy at the moment, but still, it’s a frightening possibility. Whatever forces are at work causing breast cancer in one of out 8 women, could easily come knocking on my family’s door.

    If I only knew what causes the most common cancer in women, I would make sure I avoided those factors at all costs (cancer.org). I have two young daughters who have entrusted their health to me, so I’d like some answers. But we don’t really know yet. Too much estrogen? Microwaves? The chemicals in household cleaners? The air we breathe? It has to be something we all come in contact with every day.

    The Orange County chapter has raised more than $15 million since 1991. I can only hope that all this money being raised will help researchers pinpoint precisely what is killing so many women -- VERY SOON – before it takes the life of someone I love . . . or someone YOU love.