Lighting the Pyramids Pink

Ambassador Nancy Brinker and Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of Supreme Council of Antiquities.

Eve of the Race Gala Dinner.

Six months ago Dr. Mohamed Shaalan had a dream of the first ever Race for the Cure in Egypt. Friday night we had the honor of seeing that dream come true at the Eve Dinner. Mena House Hotel was buzzing with excitement as Regional Advocates, US Delegates, press, Ambassador Nancy Brinker and Dr. Mohamed Shaalan from BCFE anticipated the race for the following morning. After a speech from the Ambassador and Dr. Shaalan, the Pyramids were lit pink for the entire night in celebration of this great event.

The Race for the Cure will start at 10:00am Saturday morning and conclude with a parade led by Ambassador Brinker and breast cancer survivors around the world and the Middle East. The number of expected participants is estimated around 3,000! In a country where breast cancer is called "The Unspoken Disease," 3,000 is a lot of voices.

Dr. Mohamed Shaalan from BCFE

Delegation group at the Pyramids

Egyptian Muslim woman

Christina taking a camel ride

Linda holding up the Pyramids

The Number 3

What can you do in 3 minutes? Brush your teeth? Empty the dishwasher? 180 seconds, that’s it.
One woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 3 minutes.

This morning we had the privilege of hearing from Dr. Mohamed Shaalan, Founder and Chairman of the Board for the Breast Cancer Foundation of Egypt. Dr. Shaalan and his team have been working to raise awareness and enhance education among the women of Egypt. Women used to call cancer “The Bad Disease” and it would remain unspoken if one was diagnosed. Many believed that it was contagious and would literally cross the street. With the help of Dr. Shaalan and many other organizations and individuals, the BCFE is now able to provide free mammogram services to women as well as education and training for healthcare professionals. Currently over 200 women receive a free mammogram from BCFE each month and they are planning to build the first breast cancer facility in Egypt. Under the Auspices of Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak, First Lady of Egypt, and chaired by Susan G. Komen and Ambassador Nancy Brinker we will be able to witness the first ever Race for the Cure in Egypt tomorrow. Tonight is the Eve of Race Gala Dinner and the Pyramids will be lit in pink to honor this ground-breaking event!

So next time you pull out that toothbrush or start to unload the dishes, please think about the women that are being diagnosed all around the world at such a rapid rate and join in the fight against breast cancer.

Choke & Run

Founders Reception

Our wonderful guide Islam!

We arrived in Cairo late on Thursday and we were met at airport by Komen representatives for a smooth transition through customs. We were fortunate to have a guide enroute to hotel. His name was Islam and gave us valuable information concerning the people and customs. The Egyptian people are very friendly and warm. We even learned our first Arabic word for "thank you" which is "shokran." Islam taught us to remember it by thinking choke & run. Thanks to Islam, we had a wonderful first impression of this country. His dream is to visit the US. We want to just pack him up and take him to Texas with us!

We were welcomed at a poolside reception hosted by Ambassador Brinker who had met with the First Lady of Egypt earlier in the day. They are already breaking down walls to fight breast cancer in this country and are setting the stage for historic progress in detection and treatment of breast cancer.

We have already met some fascinating and wonderful people and the journey has just begun.

Steel Magnolias

Left to right: Michelle Bynum, Linda, Tiffany Barber

I had the privilege of meeting Michelle Bynum and her sister, Tiffany Barber, for lunch before departing on our Egypt trip. The best way I can describe these two amazing sisters is a pair of Steel Magnolias. Tiffany plays the role of encourager, caretaker, manager, advocate among many others. It is an amazing sister bond that reminds me of Nancy Brinker’s (founder of Susan G. Komen) story. Tiffany, like Ms. Brinker, is not one to accept status quo. She talked of her dream to start a foundation to help & support women stricken with cancer that would assist them with the daily chores & routines of life that have to continue no matter if mom/wife is ill. Tiffany balances this crusade for her sister while managing her own family with two young children and husband. Like I said - amazing!

Although in great pain, Michelle drove in the pouring rain so that she could present me with the Michelle’s Angels T-shirts (look for them in the Egypt race!) Tears filled her eyes as she looked at all the names in our “pink journal” who are battling this disease with her. In the short time with Michelle and through pain so strong she could hardly speak at times, her fabulous personality still shone through full of humor, commitment to family and God, and intense compassion for others. I saw her face light up as she spoke of her past careers. Although she has worked in high-tech fields, the most rewarding times were teaching life skills to special ed students and now seeing them in the Georgetown area out working and being successful; or the rewards of hanging out at Starbucks with a group of girls that have now graduated college, but was under Michelle’s influence as a Jr. High cheerleader sponsor where she helped to mentor them.

In Michelle’s words, “It’s important to leave footprints and to give to others.” Five minutes with this Steel Magnolia and you will leave with all kinds of footprints and impressions on your life. I know from experience and leaves all of us with the question…"What kind of footprints am I leaving?”

Click on our link to Michelle’s Angels to read about the team Tiffany has formed for the Austin race on November 1. Look for Michelle and her angels leading the many footprints on race day!

Dear Loved Ones

In a few days, we will have the privilege to be a part of the first ever Susan G Komen Race for the Cure around the Pyramids in Cairo, Egypt. Ambassador Nancy Brinker (founder of the Susan G Komen Foundation) will lead this Egypt Mission Trip consisting of 38 delegates. We are dedicating this trip and our race to our father/grandfather who died in June after a long battle with cancer; to all the women who have fought or in the midst of the battle now; and to Michelle Bynum and her family, the Honorary Chair of the Austin Race for the Cure. You can read her heart-wrenching story at: http://www.info-komen.org/site/TR?px=4211587&fr_id=1240&pg=personal

Instead of asking friends and family for donations, we have raised our donation through a massive yard sale called The Pink Sale which was held in Fredericksburg a few weeks ago. It was a huge success and we thank all that participated. We would like to include our friends/family in another way - We are gathering names and stories of women who have battled this disease and are putting these names in a journal (pink, of course!) which we will have in our hand as we race around the Pyramids and across the finish line!

If you or a family member or friend have been touched by this disease, we would like to honor them or their memory by carrying their name or story with us. You can just share their names or include any information about them. Please email names to me at: christina.m.harman@gmail.com

On the evening of the race, the Giza Pyramids will all be lit in pink which should be a memorable experience! Perhaps one day there will be a cure and no names to list in a journal or races to run.

Thank you all for your prayers & support.

Christina & Linda Harman

Walk Like An Egyptian

WHAT IS THE SUSAN G KOMEN EGYPT MISSION TRIP?
Every 68 seconds someone in the world dies from breast cancer. In Egypt, most breast cancer cases are diagnosed at advanced stages, significantly reducing a patient’s chances for survival. While Komen has supported breast health in Egypt for several years, this trip marks the beginning of a formal partnership with the Breast Cancer Foundation of Egypt (BCFE) to anchor Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s collaborative presence in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Komen leaders and the U.S. Delegation will meet in Cairo to raise awareness about early detection and to celebrate the impact of collaboration between leading non-profit organizations. The examples of commitment demonstrated by this elite team of influencers, advocates and survivors will send a strong message to the world about how, as individuals coming together in the fight, we will make a difference.

WHAT WILL WE BE DOING IN EGYPT?
Our mission has received the patronage of the First Lady of Egypt, Her Excellency Suzanne Mubarak. Mrs. Mubarak has a long history of supporting the fight against breast cancer and we are honored to have her patronage and partnership. With the guidance of Dr. Mohamed Shaalan, director of the Breast Cancer Foundation of Egypt, our lead partner, we will dive deep into the state of breast cancer in Egypt . Our delegation will visit the National Cancer Institute and experience first-hand the state of treatment for breast cancer patients in Cairo . We will also have the opportunity to see a mobile mammography unit as it screens women in underserved communities nearby. And woven throughout our journey together, delegates will participate in open discussions and cultural exchanges with regional and local breast cancer survivors and advocates.