Let's Walk For Breast Cancer - The Avon Breast Cancer Walk

Now more than ever women and men are taking part in the Avon Breast Cancer Walk fundraising campaign.

This walk has been specifically set up to raise money to help in the fight against breast cancer.

Those people who participate in the Avon Breast Cancer Walk, which is really a 2 day walk, will often raise at least $1,800 each and the event which first took place in 2003 and took place in 8 cities in the USA.

But in 2005 this changed where millions and millions of dollars was raised in donations as more women became aware of the event and took part (instead of it being a few hundred it became thousands taking part).

You will find that many of the women who take part in the Avon Breast Cancer Walk, an annual, event feel a certain amount of pride in what they have accomplished and also because they known that they have taken an active role in helping to fight this disease and well as knowing the money they have raised will not only help those diagnosed with the disease in the USA but across the world.

Each year the walk is spread over 2 days (usually Saturday and Sunday) and the decision on how far a participant actually walks is up them.

However, many of those taking part in the Avon Breast Cancer Walk often choose to walk the 26.2 miles or 42.16 km and they will spread this out over the two days (say 13.1 miles each day).

Some people actually decide to walk a complete marathon on the Saturday and then do a half marathon on the Sunday (so they will have completed a grueling 39 miles overall on the 2 days), "sounds like a long grueling weekend to me".

But at the end of the day the decision rests with the participant and no body else as to how much or little they do. In some cases they only make their decisions when they actually get to the event itself.

However, anyone who is participating in the Avon Breast Cancer Walk must actually commit themselves to raising at least $1,800 for the event.

But this may seem a large sum of money to try to be raising, but in fact it is easier than many people think.

There is a large team of back room workers involved in the even who will be able to offer assistance and advice to those taking part in their fund raising efforts and you will discover just how many people admire those who have taken part or will be taking part in the next event to fight this disease and getting donations from them will be quite easy.

Those people who register to take part in the Avon Breast Cancer Walk are assigned a member of staff from the Campaigns team and they will teach you all about fund raising but also offer essential advice on the training (physical) that they will need to carry out prior to the event.

They will answer any questions that a participant may have regarding the fund raising aspects and provide them with both a fund raising and physical training plan prior to their taking part.

Along with this anyone who participates in the Avon Breast Cancer Walk will receive a handbook containing information on both the fund raising and physical training aspects and a personal webpage which they can use in their effort to raise funds for the campaign.

The walks begin early in the morning and prior to commencement a short inspirational ceremony is conducted. while taking part in the walk the participants are also provided with a number of different support aids along the way, such as rest stops, portable toilets, water, sports drinks, and snacks and should it be required basic medical assistance.

The participants will also find that they will be served lunch while carrying out the Avon Breast Cancer Walk.

Many people who travel some distance to take part in these events will usually spend a night at the camp specifically set up (the event organizers arrange for 2 person tents to be set up and provided) and they also provide the participants with hot showers, food, massages and entertainment as well.

Then at the end of the second day (Sunday usually) another ceremony is held in the evening to celebrate what the participants have actually achieved during the last two days.

All money that is raised from this campaign is immediately placed in the Avon Foundation coffers and will be used not only for research in to the disease but also to treat those diagnosed with it.

The main goal of this campaign is to raise funds which will help those women or even men who can not afford the cost of cancer treatment such as the poor, elderly or minority groups.

It is believed that around 43 million people in the USA do not have the correct type of health insurance to cover their medical needs and approximately half of this figure is made up of women.

Certainly in research carried out both Asian American and African American women are more than twice as likely not to have the right sort of health insurance as a White American and the figure rises to as three times less likely if you happen to be a Hispanic woman living in the USA.