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Home > About Us > Corporate Citizenship > | |||||||
| Making a Commitment for the Cause August 2005
When Alisia Quickel decided to make the commitment to participate in this year's Washington, D.C. Avon Breast Cancer Walk, she was prepared to endure the challenging 26.2 mile trek through Georgetown, Embassy Row, Chinatown, and other roads in Washington, D.C. And even though the weekend turned out to be full of other challenges that would test her endurance, Alisia never lost sight of her main goal—to help find a cure for breast cancer. Breast cancer has touched Quickel's family. Her grandmother passed away three months before she was born. She survived the breast cancer but the treatments weakened her heart. Additionally, Quickel has two close friends who had breast cancer. So when she first heard about the Walk several years ago, she knew it was something she wanted to do. It wasn't until this year that she decided to commit to this cause. Her first commitment was to start training many months in advance. She was sent a work-out routine and started walking 8-10 miles per week, building up to 22 miles. As the Walk drew closer, Quickel was walking 14 miles a day on the weekends. It turned out to be a large chunk of her day. She had no difficulty balancing work and training but during the last few weeks before the Walk, she gave up her social life and focused solely on training. The second commitment was financial. She was required to raise a minimum of $1,800. At first she wasn't sure how she was going to do it, but after deciding that it could be done, and emailed family, friends and coworkers. To her astonishment, she raised $2,065! Quickel was prepared when the weekend of the walk arrived. Everything was going well until it started raining—a lot. The walkers had been told to get shoes and socks that would wick moisture away from their feet. However, in pouring rain, it was impossible to keep their feet dry. Quickel walked 13 miles on Saturday, with a painful blister developing. She walked an additionally 4 miles on Sunday but had to see the medic to have it bandaged before she could finish her required miles. The situation back at camp was damp as well. With 5-6 inches of water and mud covering the athletic field, the walkers stayed in their tents to keep dry, but many of the tents leaked. Heavy winds then developed during the night. One tent actually flipped over with the occupants inside. Nonetheless, Quickel says it was worth every step, "This year had to be the worst. Nothing else could possibly go wrong, but I'm helping such a wonderful cause and know that at some point there is going to be a cure." Quickel is already preparing for next year's walk.
Page last updated: March 8, 2006 | Top of page |
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