by Kimberly O’Sullivan
Former Communications Officer
Foundation for the National Institutes of Health

Kim O'Sullivan, Communications Officer & Ann Ashby, Deputy Executive Director display the generous donation FNIH received from the Avon Foundation.

Sunday, May 6 was the last day of the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in Washington, DC and the event raised $5 million to advance access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer.

The FNIH was awarded a $710,000 grant to support a “think tank,” a research project managed by the National Cancer Institute, a breast cancer workshop, and the 2^nd Collaborative Summit on Breast Cancer Research.

I was asked to accept the check on behalf of the FNIH during the closing ceremony.

It was an experience I will never forget.

As the Washington Monument as our backdrop, representatives from 10 local community organizations, including myself as well as Dr. Alan Rein from the National Cancer Institute, were introduced and each organization’s check amount was revealed to the crowd. I spoke briefly with Dr. Rein about his project, what it may or may not reveal, and thought to myself that this man may play a role in finding the cure for breast cancer.  

Being on stage and seeing the sea of people all wearing pink t-shirts – light pink for participants and dark pink for breast cancer survivors – gave me an entirely different perspective. I saw so many smiling faces of people who had just completed a three-day, 39.3 mile walk, and were happy to accomplish their goal. I saw many dogs decked out in their finest pink attire.

I also noticed the back of many people’s shirts had names of the loved ones they were walking in honor or in memory of.

One shirt said, “Walking in memory of my mom. Flying high since 5/2/11.” I wondered what that woman was feeling this weekend, her mother’s first death anniversary.

What I will remember most from being on stage is the hope, joy, and optimism I felt from seeing all the people cheering, dancing, and supporting one another. 

After the pictures were taken and business cards were swapped it was time to leave. I was surprised to hear my name as I was climbing off the stage and across the fence was a woman I had never met before. She introduces herself to me as a vendor of FNIH that I hadn’t had the opportunity yet to meet face to face. She was dressed in black, white and pink and tied her look together with a fabulous pink fuchsia tutu. She said she was part of the motorcycle crew and had volunteered all weekend to ensure the walkers were taken care of. A motorcycle crew wearing tutus. I love it!

As I’m carrying the big foam check with me to the Metro, that I admit is becoming an annoyance, many people came up to me and said that it was great to see where the money goes. I chatted with a bunch of people as I made it to Metro Center.

But the highlight of my day came as I was in the Metro parking lot, about to get into my car, when a young father and his two little ones, one still in a stroller, ran up to me, shook my hand and thanked me for all we’re doing. As we were chatting his young wife also joined in the conversation. I asked if they had walked this weekend and she said they hadn’t. She then proceeded to tell me she was a breast cancer survivor, had a double mastectomy and was still healing from her surgery. I was stunned. They were such a young family, she was so pretty, her kids were beyond cute and suddenly the foam core check stopped being an annoyance.

I can’t believe they were thanking me! All I did was accept a check.

I thanked them because at that moment it really was my pleasure.