* “a” team race for the cure 2012
How many excuses are there to take a trip to Central Park on a beautiful Sunday morning? The answer, endless! However, there is no reason more rewarding than taking a walk through the beautiful park with thousands of people supporting an amazing cause like the 2012 Susan G. Komen – Greater New York City Race for the Cure. On Sunday, September 9, 2012, several friends of Adhunika came out to honor their friends and loved ones who have been affected by breast cancer by participating in this wonderful event.
This is the second year, Shahnaz Yousuf, the founder of Adhunika, formed a group to help raise funds to support the Komen Foundation. Along with Shahnaz and myself, we were accompanied by Kyoko Mona, Aram Balagyozyan and Laila Latif. And this year, Shahnaz, Mona and Laila also brought their three beautiful children: 7 year old Siddhartha, 5 year old Mahima and 11 month old Anahit. Shahnaz happily appointed Anahit as the honorary “Team Captain” for the day and she confidently guided the team with her cues and giggles. Having the three youngest members of the Adhunika team with us made the event extra special this year. They walked, hopped, skipped and ran the entire 5 km with great energy and enthusiasm. What an amazing way to teach our children about the importance of volunteerism and supporting others!
On a personal note, I would also like to share why this walk was very special to me. My husband Drew and I lost a dear friend last summer to breast cancer. Barbara Gellman, who battled breast cancer for nearly two decades, touched all of our lives with her courage and wonderful generosity of spirit. She is deeply missed, but she will never be forgotten and we hope that our support of this wonderful event will help others in their struggle to find a cure.
Even though we don’t get to hear the painful experiences from a lot of our loved ones, especially from the Bangladeshi women who are breast cancer survivors, it is an amazing feeling to get the heartwarming appreciation for my support in this event. Going forward, I plan on participating for the Komen Foundation every year because I know that even my small contribution is making a difference in someone’s life. Next year, however, I will definitely bring my husband Drew and son Liam along with me to join in supporting this wonderful cause.
So, at the end of the day, what did we all get out of this experience? The answer is simple, priceless joy!
~ ‘A’ Team Race for the Cure
A reflection by Nadia R. Fletcher, NJ