When I found out that the Wisconsin leg of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure breast cancer walk was being held on Rosh Hashanah, I was really disappointed. Soon, the girls in my local BBYO chapter and I learned that other people in the Jewish community were also upset by this. We took it upon ourselves to organize a walk for breast cancer that the whole community could participate in, especially the Jewish community, who missed out on the first walk. So, the Eden B'nai Brith Girls of Wisconsin Region BBYO organized a Jewish Walk for Breast Cancer on October 22, 2006.

A lot of planning went into the walk. We hung posters all over the city and made phone calls to spread the word. Two of the girls from our chapter appeared on the local news to inform the public about the walk. We had many sponsors help us by donating food, water, and tents for the event.

On the day of the event, there was an educational booth with materials from many organizations and a breast reconstruction surgeon present to answer questions and provide information. A news station also appeared to publicize the actual walk. Many people came to walk and show their support. All in all, our hard work and planning paid off.

The walk was very successful, raising over $9,000 for charity. The proceeds will be divided between three different organizations devoted to spreading awareness and finding a cure for breast cancer: Sharsheret (a New Jersey-based organization that helps Jewish women confront breast cancer), The Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center, and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Our goal was to broaden understanding throughout the community about breast cancer and to take steps to fight it.

The Jewish Walk for Breast Cancer was a great opportunity for us to express our opinions and stand up for what we believe in. We feel like we made a difference in the community by making more people aware of the fight for breast cancer.

In addition, we feel that our event is a step toward finding a cure. We appreciate all the donors who helped in this endeavor as well as all the people involved in making the walk possible. We, the girls of Eden BBG, are proud of the success of our walk and the impact it will have on breast cancer awareness and research in our community.