Hoofin' help for a cure

The 12 women of the Bloomin' Bees, a local team participating in the May Avon Walk for Breast Cancer event in Chicago, each have a reason to walk.

From a mother who was recently diagnosed to a team member in remission, team leader Bette Biasotti, said "We walk 'BeeCause' we can."

"Everyone has some kind of inspiration and we pull from that," said Biasotti, who called breast cancer survivor and team member Carol Betterton her motivation.

"Carol is the reason I am doing this, and the reason all of us are doing this," Biasotti said. "We all know there's strength in numbers."

The name is derived from the numerous names that start with the letter B, coupled with Biasotti's line of work as a landscaper.

Participants will walk 26.2 miles on the first day and another 13.1 miles the following day.

The route will send over 75,000 walkers along the Chicago lakefront, past well-known landscapes from Soldier Field to Skokie.

For Kathy Kelly, walking the route, which is the equivalent of a marathon-and-a-half, is a way to help her mother fight the disease.

"My mother in Texas was recently diagnosed with breast cancer," Kelly said. "I can't be with my mother all of the time, so this is a way of working it out."

Since the end of January, the team has raised more than $33,000 for the Avon Foundation, a charity which describes its mission as "to advance access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer," on its Web site.

From 2003-2006, the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer event series has raised more than $150 million coast to coast, the Web site also states.

The Bloomin' Bees team currently sits third in fundraising among teams participating in the 39.3-mile walk over the May 31-June 1 weekend.

"Once we popped in the top 10 we have always been there," Kelly said.

The team, as of Thursday, was about $2,500 shy of its current $36,000 goal. Donations regularly surpass one goal when another is set.

"The response and support has been phenomenal," said Robin Seigle, a first-time walker.

While the two-day walk would be daunting to most people, the women of Bloomin' Bees are confident they will finish.

Some though, are worried about the early morning starts.

"I am not an early bird," said Seigle, who joked that she would hail a cab to catch up with team members on the second morning.

Members are following a training guide, and often meet for the longer weekend walks that often reach double-digit miles.

Only one team member, Joan Bober, has participated in the walk before.

Bober said the support of people lining the streets encourages walkers to continue the journey.

"I don't like to be recognized for things, but when you see that there's two bald women sitting in lawn chairs holding signs, you just want to keep walking," said Bober, whose sister-in-law was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

For information on the Avon Walk or to donate to Bloomin' Bees, visit avonwalk.org and follow the links to the Chicago event.