Blisters no deterrent to Bloomin' Bees: cancer walkers raise $53K

What were you doing in last weekend's truly summer weather?

While you were out enjoying the sunshine and cloudless skies from your backyard swimming pool or in your garden, at least a dozen of your neighbors were pounding the pavement for a good cause.

A week ago, more than 4,000 people participated in the Avon Walk for a Cure, including the Bloomin' Bees team from around the Dundee area.

The 12 women walked 39.3 miles along the Lake Michigan lake front and through Chicago neighborhoods to raise money for the Avon Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing care and finding a cure for breast cancer.

Team member Robin Seigle described the walk as "life altering" when I spoke with her on Wednesday.

"It was extremely exciting," Seigle said. "During the walk we were all wondering. 'why are we doing this?' But once we finished, we all said we could do that again."

Seigle said she was still recovering from blisters and laryngitis three days after she completed walk, equivalent to one-and-a-half marathons.

"I complained a lot about my aching feet and blisters, for sure," Seigle said.

"But when you see all of the T-shirts dedicated to different people you realize our struggles are not anything compared to the struggles that the survivors have had to go through. I don't have to have chemotherapy. I don't have to have a mastectomy."

Bloomin' Bees raised more than $53,000 and was among the top 10 fundraising teams in the Chicago event.

That's spectacular for a team of 12. The leaders, with a membership of about 40, raised about $100,000.

Team leader Bette Biasotti was also one of the top 10 individual fundraisers, bringing in more than $10,000 alone.

Seigle said the team shared many memories and experiences but declined to share those for my column.

"It was so emotional because we have a survivor on our team and my neighbor was recently diagnosed with breast cancer," Seigle said. "There were lots great memories, tears and laughter."

Though the days started early - with a 4 a.m. departure from the hotel Saturday and 5 a.m. wake up in tents at Warren Park - Seigle said the walk itself was fun, albeit painful.

Seigle said the support team for the event and the residents who came out to sit on lawn chairs as the walkers passed by, helped keep spirits high as blisters popped and feet ached.

"It was an amazing event," Seigle said. "It was an event of a lifetime and we all said we would never forget it."

Overall, the Chicago walk raised more than $9.1 million, which benefited several local organizations including the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center at Northwestern University, the Metropolitan Chicago Breast Cancer Task Force and the Rush Copley Foundation.

Though she is still resting her sore feet and aching legs in cold water, Seigle said she would consider participating again next year.

"The whole time Saturday I was in so much pain, but then it was over it was like having a baby," Seigle said. "It is painful but once you finish and it is all over, you can do it again."

Congratulations to Robin and the Bloomin' Bees members on their achievements.