One might call it a family tradition. A tradition born from a desire to help, solidified through loss and struggle and strengthened by commitment.
For Los Alamitos resident Renee Williams and her mom Maria Gomez of Long Beach, participating in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day has become a kind of family tradition. And once again this year, these two area women will join thousands of others in San Diego in November to walk the walk and fight the fight to raise money and awareness in the battle against breast cancer.
Gomez, 59, was the instigator of this tradition, when she decided to join the 3-Day event 11 years ago. She has walked it every year since and six years ago, she convinced Williams to join her. This will be Williams’ sixth venture to the event. And over the years, they have convinced other family members and friends to join them occasionally.
“I kept bugging them to do it,” Gomez said.
Even now, it is Gomez, who continues to lead the charge each year, urging her teammates to get their registration and fundraising efforts up and running.
“My mom is amazing,” Williams said. “She’s really always pushing us, every day she’s annoyingly pushing us.”
The 3-day walk covers 60 miles over the three days, but the fundraising can actually be the biggest hurdle. Each participant is required to raise $2,300 to walk. This year, they are walking with two other friends, Debbie Bath and Jen Macera. The four raise money individually, but will divide it up if necessary, to make sure all four can walk.
In the past, they have organized golf tournament fundraisers, sports pools and other events to help raise money to fund the walk. The event is Nov. 15-17, and they are slightly behind schedule to meet their goal.
Williams, 37, made her first attempt at the walk in 2006. Without prior experience, she didn’t train very much for it and found out the hard way, that 60 miles over three days is no cakewalk. She had to cut the second day short, but was determined to finish the third day. She finished the final 20 miles, but walked the last few with one shoe off, because her toe was so badly blistered.
She was inspired by the breast cancer survivors who make the walk themselves. Despite her struggles, she said that first experience was enough make her want to go back.
“It’s just an amazing event to be a part of,” Williams said. “The closing ceremony was amazing, a lot of tears were shed.”
Williams said in her first year, she noticed a man along the route with a small baby. She called him “smile guy.” She has noticed him in subsequent years and that baby is now a little girl and the father and daughter do dance and cheer routines to encourage the walkers. She said the event is a sea of pink and even when traffic gets stopped to allow the walkers to cross, drivers never seem to mind, but instead honk and shout encouragement.
“It was amazing, all the support from people, … it’s emotional,” Williams said.
Participants sleep in tents over the three days, survivors and family members share stories and there are those who walk in honor of loved ones who have lost their battle with breast cancer.
Like many women and their families, breast cancer has hit close for Williams and Gomez. Williams’ paternal grandmother, Regilia Gomez is a breast cancer survivor, as is Gomez’s cousin Margie Medrano. But in 2005, breast cancer took the life of one of Gomez’ closest friends, Sherry Chatigny. Gomez had already started participating in the events, but the 2004 walk was particularly inspiring as Chatigny was at the event and found her on the course at one point, urging her to push through a sore knee. Gomez said she told her, ‘I’m the one with cancer, so you stay out there and keep going.’
“Watching my girlfriend pass was just horrific,” Gomez said.
Williams grew up in La Puente, the oldest of three siblings, with younger brother Manuel and youngest sister Larissa. Manuel’s wife Michelle has also done the walk with Williams and Gomez a few times, but will not be making the trip this year because of a sore knee.
For Williams, she was told by her doctor, that she carries a couple of factors that put her at slightly higher risk for breast cancer. Currently, statistics indicate that the average woman in the U.S. has a 12-13 percent chance of developing breast cancer in her lifetime. She keeps a close check on herself and urges friends and family to do the same. She had two lumps removed with biopsies, both were benign, but it has brought her fight to a very personal level.
As a 14 year old, living in Anaheim, Williams was in a bowling league with family members at the former Rossmoor Lanes. That was where she first met Shawn Williams, four years her senior. When she was 18, the two started dating and have been together since. Married for 14 years, the Los Al residents are raising two children, Luke, 8, and Mia, 5.
After Williams’ first walk in 2006, she missed ’07 because she was pregnant, but has returned each year since. Gomez had thought she might quit after 10 years, but is now headed to her 11th event. The cause, the people and even the sense of accomplishment keep the mother and daughter team from quitting. But mostly, they return because it’s a fight they believe in, whole-heartedly. Williams said her hope is that if they can find a cure for breast cancer, cures for the rest will soon follow. It’s a sentiment echoed by Gomez.
“I may be walking for breast cancer, but cancer is cancer,” Gomez said.
To learn more about the Komen 3-Day, or to support the cause visit www.the3day.org. Click the donate button and ‘search for a participant’ to donate directly to Renee Williams, Maria Gomez or their team. For a direct link to their donation page, view this story online at newsenterprise.net.
To get to Renee Williams’ donation page click here: http://www.the3day.org/site/TR/2013/SanDiegoEvent2013?px=1290057&pg=personal&fr_id=1818
To get to Maria Gomez’ donation page click here: http://www.the3day.org/site/TR/2013/SanDiegoEvent2013?px=1042311&pg=personal&fr_id=1818