Friday, August 1, 2003
Woman hits pavement for breast cancer awareness
By Amy Kimmes * Want to know more about Polly Letofsky's global walk? Log on to http:globalwalk.org.
Wausau Daily Herald
akimmes@wdhprint.com
VILLAGE OF WESTON - When Polly Letofsky stepped off the Mountain-Bay Trail
behind Dale's Weston Lanes on Thursday morning, she didn't get a hero's welcome.
But her story is anything but unassuming.
Contacts
* If you want to contact Letofsky directly, send an e-mail to Letofsky
at pollyswalking@yahoo.com.
* If you want to give to Letofsky's cause - breast cancer research and
education - send your donation to the Breast Cancer Fund, 2107 O'Farrell
St., San Francisco CA 94115-3419, or call 1-866-760-8223.
This 41-year-old, Vail, Colo., woman is on the final leg of a five-year,
15,000-mile journey across the world to raise money and build awareness of
breast cancer. Her trek began four years and 11,600 miles ago today in Vail.
She has hiked through 22 countries, including Austria, Belgium, Germany, Greece,
India, Italy, Malaysia, Scotland, Thailand and Turkey, and has endured
rainstorms, lightning, hail and the blazing sun. She also has been through an
earthquake in the Mojave Desert that hit 7.2 on the Richter scale, major
flooding and forest fires.
In four years, she has raised about $100,000 for The Breast Cancer Fund.
The reasons behind Letofsky's trek are twofold: She has wanted to walk the globe
since she was 12 years old, and she wants to put an end to the misconceptions
people have about who can get breast cancer.
Women seem to think that if breast cancer doesn't run in their families, they're
not at risk, Letofsky said. They don't get mammograms or yearly exams, and they
don't do self-exams. When these women are found to have cancer, they're shocked.
Letofsky, who is joined from time to time by Debi Linker, 57, of Palm Desert,
Calif., has seen many highs and lows along the way. Linker, who is a breast
cancer survivor, has walked more than 400 miles with Letofsky and first met
Letofsky in Colorado shortly after the journey began.
"I've had tremendous personal growth" from this, said Letofsky, who
has gone through 24 pairs of New Balance shoes in four years on the trail back
to Vail. "And it has been very educational. I've learned so many things.
"The history of countries: India, Turkey, Australia. You're right there
experiencing their government, their cooking, and learning about how they farm.
I've stayed with families along the way, mayors and governors. The education has
been ab-solutely priceless."
Letofsky, who is sponsored by Lions Club International and other corporations,
also has stayed in tents and hotels along the way. The Lions Club has paid for
the majority of her food, accommodations and flights to other continents.
Letofsky's reentry into the United States just before the fall of Baghdad and
after a 31Ú2 year absence from the country was overwhelming.
"And very emotional," Letofsky said. "Especially after being
chastised in Europe because of the United States' part in the Iraq war. It got
to the point where I didn't want to tell people I was an American."
Letofsky, who walks four to 10 hours daily, carries her gear in a custom-made,
three-wheel trolley, covered with patches from other countries and the
signatures of breast cancer survivors. She and Linker are heading to Chippewa
Falls today.
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