As a union member, Leah Goldstein had been participating in the Walk to Cure Cancer whenever she could since the walk kicked off in 1999.  "I am a Commonwealth of Massachusetts trial court employee and I wanted to walk when I heard my union was doing the Walk to Cure Cancer. I also wanted to walk to stamp out cancer from a personal perspective. Both my grandparents had cancer. My grandmother was a breast cancer survivor after a double mastectomy and my grandfather died of brain cancer. About 4 years ago I had a lump. Even though it turned out to be benign, I understood some of what people go through when they are diagnosed with cancer," she explains.

 

Leah Goldstein will not soon forget the day she fell down the stairs after blowing out her right knee. "It happened on March 31, 2008 and I had surgery on my elbow, ankle and knee on April 2, 2008. Not that I know the date by heart," she said with a smile. "That day really brought home how important it is to have you health. My 5 year old son and 13 year old daughter were there."  As emergency personnel rushed in and trauma triaged her to UMass Medical Center, Leah's small son provided the comic relief by piping in with a heartfelt, "I didn't do it!"

 

Leah continues, "I was determined, despite surgery still to come, rods and screws and radial implants, to walk that mile in September and I did it. The funny part of the story was that I was determined to walk because I am so inspired by those brave cancer survivors. After I walked, all the survivors I met said I was an inspiration to them!  I can't wait to return this year with my team, Leah's Legs.  I hope everyone who sees my story will be inspired to walk to cure cancer on September 13, 2009 at noon and help raise funds for cancer research at UMass Medical School."

 

For more information log on to www.walktocurecancer.org or call 886-88UMASS. Leah's first giving page is www.firstgiving.com/leahgoldstein if anyone would like to contribute.