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3-day walk to combat breast cancer
By JANEL STEPHENS
© St. Petersburg Times,
Crismond, 58, will join her friend Fran Gaberino and 3,000 walkers in the San Francisco Bay area for an event to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research. The event, Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk, will begin in San Jose July 27 and end in San Francisco July 29. Each participant must raise at least $1,900. The proceeds from the event will be used to finance breast cancer programs affiliated with the Avon Products Foundation. "It's going to be an experience," Crismond said. "It's going to be thrilling because so many people are all focusing on accomplishing the 60 miles, but they're also focusing on the money that we will raise toward breast cancer research." Crismond said she will be walking in honor of her former college roommate, Kassandra Miller, in whom breast cancer was diagnosed six years ago. The two met in 1960 during their freshman year at the University of California -- Santa Barbara. They became roommates during their junior year in college. "We've been friends ever since," Crismond said. Miller was thrilled when she heard that Crismond would be walking the 60 miles for her. "I'm touched beyond belief that she would do this in my honor," said Miller, in a phone interview from her home in Sonoma, Calif. "Linda is the closest thing to a sister that I've ever had," she said. Crismond heard about the Avon walk through Gaberino, whose mother died of breast cancer in 1966 at the age of 63. Gaberino, 60, was reading Oprah magazine when she came across a full page ad on the Avon breast cancer walk. "It just hit me emotionally," Gaberino said. "The minute I read it, I knew I had to do it." Once Gaberino registered for the San Francisco walk, the third of nine Avon walks scheduled for this year, she contacted Crismond, who she knew would be up for the challenge. "When she named the cause, I said, 'Absolutely!" Crismond said. "I wanted to do this for Kassandra." Crismond said she began running six years ago to adopt a healthier lifestyle. She exercises six days a week and runs up to 20 miles on the weekend. Since then, she has competed in seven marathons, including the 1997 Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., where she ran alongside former Vice President Al Gore. "I passed him at mile 20," Crismond recalled. Crismond also ran in the Hops Marathon and Beach Cities Marathon in Clearwater Beach, where she placed first in her age group. The 5-foot-8, 140-pound Crismond says the longest race she has ever completed was 26.2 miles. She said the 60-mile walk shouldn't be a problem for her or Gaberino. "You just have to get your body strong," Crismond said. "It's the endurance over the three days that'll be something." Each walker must complete an average of 20 miles per day before quitting. A team of doctors, registered nurses, podiatrists, physical and massage therapists will be on site in case of an emergency, officials said. Food and drinks will also be available to the walkers, and tents will be set up for participants to sleep. Crismond, who is a librarian for an audiovisual company in Illinois, said she has raised up to $9,000 from her friends and colleagues. "They're very encouraging and very supportive," Crismond said. "I've just been overwhelmed by all the donations that everybody has given." - Staff writer Janel Stephens can be reached at (727) 445-4229. To helpTo donate to the Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk, call Linda Crismond at (727) 937-2974.
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