Bay woman braves rain, heat, blisters in breast cancer walk

Theresa Gamble, center, and teammates Nanci Huff and Gina Borovica walk down Wolf Road on the morning of Day 2.
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A personal perspective of the 2011 Cleveland Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure

It turned out to be the most grueling experience of my life, but also the most amazing and life changing.

At 6 a.m. on Friday, July 29, I joined my two “Nice Tomatoes” teammates – Gina Borovica from Brecksville and Nanci Huff from Seven Hills – and more than 900 other walkers at the Cleveland Port Authority, and prayed it wouldn’t rain. The opening ceremony of the 2011 Cleveland Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure was so exhilarating and inspiring that not even the ominous clouds overhead could dampen our resolve to walk the 22.5 miles required on Day 1 of the three-day, 60-mile route. 

Shortly after 8 a.m., as we made our way into the first pit stop outside Progressive Field, it was pouring rain. Who knew that would be the defining moment of the weekend? If it hadn’t been for the rain, my 3-Day for the Cure experience would never have been as fulfilling.

With my poncho sticking to me from the rain and humidity, we trudged on. As my shoes got more and more wet, the blisters began their work on my poor feet. After winding through what seemed like every street of the west side of our great city, Day 1 ended with a flood of emotion as I arrived at the 3-Day overnight camp at the Westlake Recreation Center. 

I had completed the day’s walk and I had four larger blisters on my heels and balls of my feet. I would have never been able to finish that day without the help of the 3-Day medical staff and volunteers and all of the great people of Westlake that had come out of their homes offering us cold drinks, Popsicles and encouragement. I also have to thank Jenn from Medina that I met that evening. She was donating her time giving massages. Her mom, Mindy, and Aunt Cindy from Columbus also walked in the 3-Day.

As emotional as Day 1 had been, Day 2 would prove to have an even bigger impact on me. After trying unsuccessfully to walk in sandals – both with and without socks – I forced my feet back into my walking shoes at the first pit stop at the Holiday Inn in Westlake. I was bound and determined to continue the walk and make it through my hometown of Bay Village. I wasn’t going to disappoint the people who had supported me throughout my training and fundraising, or those to whom I dedicated my walk – my mother, a five-year breast cancer survivor and other dear friends that have lost their battle with breast cancer. 

My wonderful neighbors and their three great kids came to Bay Middle School to surprise me and provide much needed moral support. Another great supporter of mine was Mark Nazario, owner of Bay Lanes. Not only had he sponsored a fundraising event, which netted $800 towards my $2,300 goal, but he was handing out candy and bowling coupons and cheering on all of the walkers.

At the pit stop at the Bay Community Garden, my 3-Day experience became much more touching. I met three wonderful people. The first was Jill from Erie, Pa., whom I met while waiting at the medical tent. She had developed knee pain the month prior to the walk, but was determined to connect with her sister in Cleveland and complete the 60-mile walk.

She was now experiencing more and more pain and didn’t know how much longer she would be able to walk. She got her knee re-wrapped with an ice pack and got back on the route. My blisters also needed attention, that’s when I met a nurse trainer from Hillcrest Hospital that had volunteered her time – what a compassionate, caring person.

Since I let my teammates go on ahead of me, my wonderful husband, Mark – who had dedicated his weekend to being available to me and the Nice Tomatoes team – walked with me for the next two miles.

I ended up being the last walker back on the route, and was introduced to Nick, also known as “the Caboose,” a 3-Day safety person from Boston, whose responsibility was to ride his bike after the last participant. Nick gives up his personal time and works 20 weeks each year traveling across the country working each of the fourteen 3-Day walk events.

After Mark had to leave, there was still one more mile left until the stop for lunch. Nick got off of his bike and walked with me. He thanked me for walking for his sister that was a breast cancer survivor and was so motivating. What an interesting and inspirational person. 

After walking 11 miles on the day so far, I was advised at the lunch stop that I should not finish the day’s 21.5-mile route, so that I could walk some of the route the last day of the event and be able to walk into the closing ceremony.

As fate would have it, with 950 women and men eating lunch together, I noticed that Jill from Erie was sitting very near our team. She came over and told me she could no longer finish walking that day and asked that I ride the bus back to camp with her. We both were crying, feeling we had let people down – even though everyone tried to tell us that wasn’t the case. Once at camp, we helped each other to the medical tent and the staff there took great care of us, but ultimately we went our separate ways.

On Day 3, Sunday, July 31, I was able to walk the last 8.5 miles into the Berea Fairgrounds. I hadn’t seen Jill, so I wasn’t sure if they were letting her walk, or if her knee had stopped her from finishing. As fate would have it, just as we were beginning to line up to walk into the closing ceremony, there was Jill standing near me. She was so excited; she had been able to walk the entire 16.5 miles of the last day. We exchanged hugs and email addresses and vowed to stay in touch.

Who knew that the rain which had caused my wicked blisters and forced me to walk only 42.5 of the total 60 miles would also create the opportunity for me to meet such great people like the compassionate nurse, Nick, the inspirational “Caboose” and create a bond between two total strangers, like Jill and me. I feel truly blessed to have been able to walk in the Cleveland 3-Day for the Cure, which raised well over $2 million dollars in support of breast cancer research and community outreach programs.

Just as the opening ceremony had been, the closing of the 2011 Cleveland 3-Day for the Cure was very tearful and inspirational, leaving all of us with an overwhelming desire to walk the Komen 3-Day again in 2012.