Even though we all have our own reasons for joining Making Strides, we'll take down breast cancer because we're in it together. Our team is fundraising for the American Cancer Society's support services and lifesaving research.  And I'd like to share a bit about myself and why this is so important for me. My name is Cecilia Arpallan and I was diagnosed with breast cancer last year in May and it completely sidelined me and brought in a world of questions, answers, helplessness, fear and doubts. But most importantly, it brought hope and a new way of seeing life through. I saw how a community could gather and uplift someone through the most difficult parts of this journey -- chemo, radiation, the good days and the not-so-good times -- I saw the sadness in my loved ones eyes, felt the fear in my heart of abandoning them, and losing who I was. But with the strength and support of everyone, it allowed me to fight one more minute, one more hour, one more day. And as a result, I am a living testament here today because of my courage, the strength I gathered from my loved ones and my community.  Therefore, I ask you to please join our team today because it didn't start with me ,and it will not end with me either. There are hundreds upon hundreds more of us that need your support -- whether it's donating, whether it's taking the walk with us, whether it's passing this message along... Any bit of strength helps and gives us hope. I appreciate you all for taking the time to read, donate or walk with us, because together WE can end breast cancer. 

 #checkyourboobies #sdsucollegeofsciences

Thank you!  Ceci