Lung Walk 2010 Update

I've been waiting until I get the photos from the Lung Walk, 2010, before posting the news about the walk.  But the professional photographer hired to take pictures has not posted any of our team that were taken early in the morning when only about half of us were present and my friend, Spot, has not yet emailed those photos that she took.  So, instead, I am posting the print that was the final project of my son, Matt, in his printmaking class last quarter. It's taken from a photograph from the Chinese Ice festival held earlier this year.  And, since Seattle is suffering through February weather in May, it seems rather apropos.  Plus. Matt showed up and walked with me on Sunday.

Dr. Robb Glenny,Professor of Medicine and of Physiology and Biophysics and the Head of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Washington was the kickoff speaker for the walk.  He talked about how dismal the research is in all areas of lung disease.  Which we already knew.  But then he said that is why events like the Lung Walk are so important to raising awareness and raising funds for research into cures for COPD, emphysema, asthma, and lung cancer.

Which we did.  The event raised over $125,000.  My team was wildly successful both in fundraising and in feets on the ground.  I am both humbled and energized by all of you.  As of tonight, we have raised $2,965.00.  This is up from the $2700+ that we showed on Sunday, which was enough to vault us into 2d place in individual rankings and 6th place in corporate rankings.  We even beat well known companies like Boeing Airline Marketing and KISS 106.1.  Woo Hoo!!  And 15 of the 17 who promised to show up on Sunday, braved the grey chill and came to UW and walked with me.  For that, they were awarded grey tshirts emblazoned with "DeFeet Lung Cancer" in red gothic letters by me.  Go Team!

The walk through the UW campus took us to parts that I had never been too.  I especially enjoyed the salmon fingerling pond and the huge evergreen stump that turned out to be a fake.  I told my teammates to save their tshirts for next year, so we could all wear them once again.  We talked about adding years to the tshirts. And perhaps there will be a few more walkers who will need additional tshirts.
 
Thank you to everyone who sent good thoughts, donations, and turned out.  It truly was a day to remember.

Moe/Regina