Trio of friends treks to Avon Walk for breast cancer
Juli Valdez-Moreno, Joanne Neubauer, and Juli Vieira have done a
lot of walking in the past few months. It’s not part of a New
Year’s resolution or a pact to get fit. Instead, the women are
training for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer that will be held July
11 and 12, 2009. Each day’s walk includes a half marathon, totaling
26 miles at the end of the weekend event.
Trio of friends treks to Avon Walk for breast cancer
Juli Valdez-Moreno, Joanne Neubauer, and Juli Vieira have done a lot of walking in the past few months. It’s not part of a New Year’s resolution or a pact to get fit. Instead, the women are training for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer that will be held July 11 and 12, 2009. Each day’s walk includes a half marathon, totaling 26 miles at the end of the weekend event.
“We have mostly walked on the weekends up to seven and a half miles,” said Valdez-Moreno.
The trio signed up for the event in October when their friend Loree Van Bebber was diagnosed with breast cancer. The four women met originally when they all worked together at a bank. Now Vieira and Van Bebber work at Rabobank, and Neubauer and Valdez-Moreno work at San Benito Bank.
Neubauer and Valdez-Moreno had seen ads for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer around when their friend was diagnosed and immediately signed up for the walk.
“It’s something we’ve always been aware of, but this particular friend hit us very hard and has been very close to us,” Valdez-Moreno said. “We all know we were going to be there to run errands or offer whatever kind of support. But we wanted to do more because Loree is someone who is so involved. She’s always there for everybody. She’s just this fantastic person who gives and gives and gives.”
Van Bebber has long been involved in the Relay For Life (see related story) and has volunteered for other community events.
Vieira as soon as she heard her other friends had committed to the walk.
“My daughter talked about doing the Susan G. Komen walk,” she said. “I got an e-mail and I knew I had to do it. My mother died of breast cancer at 57.”
Vieira signed up even though she is still recovery from knee surgery.
“When you get up, you kind of think, ‘Do I want to do this?'” Vieira said. “But once you get up, you are energized.”
The women have other friends or family members who walk with them on their weekend training sessions. They decided early on not to just walk around a track, so they plot out different length walks, including one trek from Tres Pinos to Hollister.
“We push ourselves a little farther each weekend,” Neubauer said. “The hardest part is actually just the time.”
They estimated an eight-mile walk would take them about two-and-a-half hours.
“We see it as not just doing something good for breast cancer, but it’s doing something good for us,” Valdez-Moreno said. “We are benefiting.”
Before she was diagnosed, Van Bebber had just completed a half marathon that raised money for Leukemia and Lymphoma.
“I’m familiar with the type of organization and training,” said Van Bebber, who offers training advice to her friends.
While her friends focus on their treks, Van Bebber focuses on her treatment. She is halfway through a round of chemotherapy.
“I had a family history,” Van Bebber said. “It was caught on a routine mammogram so I can’t express enough how important they are. We wouldn’t have found it and known otherwise.”
At a recent gathering at Van Bebber’s home, the women wore pink jackets and hats, the color that symbolizes breast cancer awareness. The three walkers said it isn’t the training that has them concerned, but the fundraising commitment that makes them a little nervous.
“We were aware of this walk and others for cancer,” Neubauer said. “I think we were intimidated by the amount of money you need to raise, but we are seeing some really generous people.”
Valdez-Moreno and Neubauer have committed to raising $1,800 each and Vieira’s goal is set at $3,000.
“I want to thank not only the three of them, but everyone who has come forward with donations, monetary or otherwise,” Van Bebber said.
The women have sent out e-mails to friends and family with a link to donate online at the Avon Foundation Web site, and they have mailed out letters to others with an address to send checks. They also have other fundraisers planned in the coming months, including a garage sale and raffle.
“I am blessed to have both family and friends to help me get through it,” Van Bebber said. “Whether they understand or not, they are there.”
Avon Walk for Breast Cancer
To donate online, visit:
http://info.avonfoundation.org/site/TR?pg=team&fr_id=1820&team_id=59550
Garage sale and raffle:
To raise money for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, Juli Valdez-Moreno, Joanne Neubauer and Juli Vieira will be hosting a garage sale on Saturday, Feb. 14, at 761 Verdun Avenue, starting at 8 a.m. They will also be selling raffle tickets for a quilt created by Loree Van Bebber’s sister, with the symbol for breast cancer awareness on one side.
