Friday, July 19, 2013

Why Team Betty?


Nine years ago my life changed forever. I had to say goodbye to my mother, forever. It was without a doubt the hardest thing I have ever gone through in my life.

a favorite pic of me and my mom I have on a cork board
The four years that followed were tough. I was sad, but most of all I remember being angry. Can you imagine being mad at the world for four years? 

my first race for the cure shirt
is now on my t-shirt rag quilt
I don't remember why, but one day I decided I wasn't going to be mad anymore. I decided that I wanted something good to come from my experience. I chose to join the Operation Bootcamp group I was in to run in the Oklahoma City Race for the Cure. 

I raised money, and ran the race. Although I enjoyed the Race for the Cure event, it was still rather emotional for me. I didn't participate in Race for the Cure the next year. The feeling that I wanted to "do something" never left me, but I didn't know what anymore. So that was that.

my nkotb cassettes
I have been a blockhead (aka BH, New Kids on the Block fan) since I was a teenager.

If you know me AT ALL, you know that I have been lucky enough to watch the NKOTB in concert a few times since their return in 2009. Now those who know me WELL, know that I have "fangirl" tendencies…oh you know, just "reading the news" about my current interests. These fangirl tendencies, in combination with my twitter obsession led me to rememberbetty.com. I found that NKOTB member Danny Wood also lost his mother, Betty Wood, to breast cancer.

Danny & Betty Wood
I don't know the exact history, but I do know that Remember Betty was created and is now a national affiliate for Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.

For about a year I read tweets from fellow BH's about their Team Betty's fundraising and Race for the Cure events. I asked a few questions here and there, and donated a few dollars here and there. It was becoming clear to me that the opportunity to do something was right in front of me. So last year I went for it! 


I started Team Betty OKC.

Me & Danny Wood in 2009 - Full Service Tour