Exercise Support for Physical, Spiritual and Financial Benefit(s)

Back in 2001, my girlfriend Peggy (that's her above and to the right, along with her sisters Maureen and Colleen) participated in Avon's Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk. They were among some 3,000 people who trekked from Minneapolis to Chicago to raise funds for the fight against breast cancer. What a workout, and what a good cause!

Yesterday, dailySpark (a blog by SparkPeople, a website that offers nutrition, health, and fitness tools, support and resources) shared a similar story written by an employee and breast cancer survivor:

Having two very active daughters, it was extremely important to me that I maintain energy, inner and outer strength, and a positive outlook while taking on the disease. Exercise was the answer! I found that I not only refueled my body physically, but with each workout, I recharged my mental outlook on how I was taking on my cancer!

My family, especially my daughters, saw how important this was to me, and a week after my first surgery, my daughters asked if we could participate in the upcoming “Making Strides" breast cancer walk. Morgan, my eldest daughter said, “I know how great you feel after you exercise—just think how great you will feel once we complete a walk that fights that nasty disease you had." So instead of resting that day, we all got up early that morning and walked with thousands of other survivors and family members! It was by far one of the best days of my life!

Getting active like this boosts both the body and the cause. And, judging by the smiles, it lifts the spirits, too.