Team Heather’s 2013 Global Race for the Cure Website

Click here to make a donation to

Team Heather’s 2013 Global Race for the Cure efforts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Team Heather, Through the Years

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Team Heather members and donors raised a record-breaking $56,687 for the 2012 Global Race for the Cure, bringing the team’s overall fundraising total to $402,987. For that, thank you!

 

What does this mean?

 

It means that the most vulnerable populations in the DC Area (African Americans, Lesbians, Immigrants, the un-insured and low income, and those with no one) will receive $3 out of every $4 dollars raised to fund screening, treatment, and education programs.

 

It means that women like my sister Renee, who recently found out she carries the breast cancer gene mutation, will benefit from the advancements in research and the science behind individualized breast cancer prevention and treatment.

 

It means that, with the Global Race’s emphasis on reaching across borders, where you live shouldn’t determine if you live.

 

And it means that women like Bridget Spence will have that much more of a fighting chance against this disease.

 

I met Bridget Spence at the Canadian Embassy the night before the race. In 2005, Bridget was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer at age 21. She spoke on at the race to a crowd of nearly 30,000, where she, with strength and confidence, explained she stood on stage with cancer in her liver, lungs, and bones.

 

In the 7 years Bridget’s battled breast cancer, she has been on 15 different drugs, and every one of them – including Herceptin – has been touched by a Susan G. Komen for the Cure grant.

 

Amazing stuff, however, I long for the day when I no longer am called on to raise awareness and money and consciousness, but to raise my glass in a toast to a cure.

List of 2012 Team Heather Media Hits

0) Interview on The Sport of Politics

1) Washington Family Magazine Profile

2) Washington Post Interview #1

3) Washington Post Interview #2

4) Washington Post Picture #1

5) Washington Post Picture #2

6) Washington Post Picture #3

7) Washington Post Picture #4

8) Washington Post Picture #5

9) Washington Post Picture #6

10) NBC4 SCSS Talent Show Coverage

11) WTOP Print Spot

12) WTOP Radio Spot #1

13) WTOP Radio Spot #2

14) The Georgetown Current Profile

15) WUSA9 Past SCSS Talent Show Coverage

16) WJLA ABC7 “Co-Survivor of the Year” Interview

17) WJLA ABC7 “Co-Survivor of the Year” Photo

18) WJLA ABC7 Global Race Commercial #1

19) WJLA ABC7 Global Race Commercial #2

20) Global Race Recap Video

21) Team Heather Questions & Answers Website

22) Fairfax Station/Clifton Connection SCSS “Pink to School” Day Coverage

23) Race for the Cure Series Video #1

24) Race for the Cure Series Video #2

25) Race for the Cure Series Video #3

26) Race for the Cure Series Video #4

27) Race for the Cure Series Video #5

28) Race for the Cure Series Video #6

29) 2012 SCSS Talent Show Faculty Flash Mob

30) North Canton Patch Fundraiser Piece

31) Fairfax News

32) The Gary Snyder Show

The Robbery of a Smile

One simple question for you: DO YOU HAVE A WOMAN IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU LOVE?

I watched one of the women in my life handle her battle with breast cancer with more STRENGTH and DETERMINATION and FAITH than I knew one person could possess. The only time I saw my sister Heather cry was when breast cancer robbed her of her ability to SMILE; Heather so loved to SMILE!

The muscles in her face no longer worked, and at that moment I thought to myself that I would do ANYTHING to prevent another woman in my life, or yours, from experiencing the same ROBBERY OF A SMILE!

We are nearly a week away from the most important breast cancer event in the world – THE SUSAN G. KOMEN GLOBAL RACE FOR THE CURE – and I stand before you asking one last time for your support.

Tonight, in an unprecedented Congressional Event on Capitol Hill, UNITED STATES SENATORS Tom Coburn, Kirsten Gillibrand, Mary Landrieu, Barbara Mikulski, Mark Pryor, Olympia Snowe, Debbie Stabenow, UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVES Charles Boustany, David Camp, Marcy Kaptur, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and Mark Schauer will stand together in support of the efforts of Team Heather…..

…..won’t you join them in making a donation today of any amount, and helping to stop the next ROBBERY OF A SMILE?

http://GLOBALRACE.INFO-KOMEN.ORG/SITE/TR/GLOBALRACEFORTHECURE/GLOBALRACE?PX=3968650&PG=PERSONAL&FR_ID=1370&REFRESH=1

Thank you in advance,
Shawn Gardner
TEAM HEATHER CAPTAIN – 2010 GLOBAL RACE FOR THE CURE

Join Seven U.S. Senators & Four U.S. Representatives Serving as Honorary Chairs for the 1st Annual Congressional Event, at Van Scoyoc Associates, Benefiting Team Heather in the 2010 Susan G. Komen Global Race for the Cure

Join us for this Congressional Event at Van Scoyoc Associates (101 Constitution Ave.) on May 26 from 6:30-8:30.

This Evening Reception, with Honorary Chairs U.S. Senators Coburn, Stabenow, Landrieu, Snowe, Mikulski, Gillibrand, Pryor, and Representatives Boustany, Kaptur, Camp, and Ros-Lehtinen, will benefit the efforts of Team Heather in the 2010 Susan G. Komen Global Race for the Cure.

Regular Individual Admission tickets are $50 and Special Individual Admission tickets are $100. Special Individual Admission tickets automatically enter you in a drawing to win fun prizes like an iPad, Diamond Seat National’s tickets, and more.

To R.S.V.P. by May 21, please contact Stephanie Roehl at sroehl@vsadc.com and visit this Facebook Event.

For more information on, or to donate to, Team Heather in the 2010 Susan G. Komen Global Race for the Cure, please visit: http://tiny.cc/TeamHeatherEvent.

To view the official Congressional Event Invitation, click here: Capitol Hill Congressional Event Benefiting Team Heather in the 2010 Susan G. Komen Global Race for the Cure

Send Team Heather Donation Request Email to Friends

Greetings,

In 2002, 26 year-old Heather Gardner lost her battle with breast cancer. Heather was the youngest sister of my friend, Shawn Gardner. In order to continue Heather’s fight, and support the millions of women and men affected annually by breast cancer, Shawn formed Team Heather, a fundraising group in the Susan G. Komen Global Race for the Cure.

In the past seven years, Team Heather has raised nearly a quarter-of-a-million dollars for Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and for breast cancer research, education, screening, and treatment. Last year alone, Team Heather raised $55,193. Their fundraising goal in 2010 is $50,000, and they need all the help they can get; this is where you come in.

I would be honored if you considered supporting Team Heather in their efforts this year by making a donation of any amount. (To make a donation, or to read more about Heather’s story on the 2010 Team Heather Susan G. Komen Global Race for the Cure website, click or copy and paste this link – http://tiny.cc/TeamHeather2010)

Team Heather’s involvement in this global battle to end breast cancer, and their commitment to finding a cure, is best summed up in the reasons Shawn still participates in these efforts, seven years after Heather’s death to breast cancer.
_ _ _

I am often asked why I still participate in the Global Race for the Cure, seven years after Heather’s passing. My response is always the same, “How can I not participate?” How can I not do absolutely everything within my power, or outside my power, to help find a cure for the disease that took the life of my 26 year-old sister?

Within each person, there is a fundamental, physiologic, pre-determined response one chooses to a perceived attack on ourselves or our loved ones. When faced with the choice to “fight” or “flee” from the threat breast cancer presents, we either grab the disease by the throat with a death grip, or we shut down.

Two years out from Heather’s death, seven years out, 20 years out, my reaction will forever be the same – to grab breast cancer by the throat, wrap my legs around its waist, head butt it into unconsciousness, and not let go until the disease that indiscriminately takes the lives of our best and brightest and strongest takes its last breath.

As an 8th grade English teacher, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t use this metaphor of physically killing breast cancer. As the son of a breast cancer survivor, and the older brother of Heather Gardner, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t do the hard work of fundraising.

In a recent piece I wrote for Komen, on the best practices of fundraising, I spoke of the intense difficulty I experience every year when asking people like you for money – whether in donations or team membership. 95% of you never met Heather; how bold and brazen of me to ask. But fundraising is supposed to be hard, and I accept and embrace these challenges as part of this journey towards finding a cure.

In my writing, I suggested that one way they begin their fundraising process is by telling a story. We have been telling Heather’s story for years now, and a quarter-of-a-million dollars later, thanks to folks like you, it seems to be working.

I wrote that we first tell Heather’s story, and then we, very bluntly, ask for money. A funny thing happens as a result – folks like you give money. So, again this year, please join our team or make a donation to Team Heather in our 2010 Global Race for the Cure efforts. Very big things are on the horizon for Team Heather, and whether it is through joining the team or donating to our efforts, we hope you will be a part of things to come.

Why do I still participate in the Global Race for the Cure? I do so in order to give meaning to Heather’s death. If I didn’t continue Heather’s battle in her absence, what would be her legacy? What would her life have meant? What would her death be for?

Why do I still participate in the Global Race for the Cure? I do so to help ensure the next 25 year-old woman, diagnosed with breast cancer, will have that much greater a chance at becoming a survivor.

Why do I still participate in the Global Race for the Cure? I do so because when I think about fundraising to end breast cancer, I am reminded of a quote from Tom Hanks’ character in, “A League of Their Own.” In response to a baseball player who cries about baseball getting “too hard,” Hanks’ character says, “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.”

Fight or flight? I choose to fight! Please fight alongside me.

Finding a cure to breast cancer will be hard, but how great it will be!

Thank you!
Shawn Gardner
Team Heather Captain
gardnershawn68@aol.com
_ _ _

With the knowledge that every 68 seconds a woman dies of breast cancer, please take a minute or two today to consider Shawn’s request. The four websites included below give more specifics, and Shawn’s contact information is Shawn Gardner – 202-286-4405 (gardnershawn68@aol.com or shawn.gardner@fcps.edu).

On behalf of Shawn, and the millions of women and men engaged in their own personal battles with breast cancer, thank you in advance – together, we CAN find a cure!

Websites:
Team Heather’s Global Race for the Cure Website: http://tiny.cc/TeamHeather2010
Team Heather Wikipedia Page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Team_Heather
Team Heather on Twitter (@teamheather): http://tiny.cc/TeamHeatherTwitter
Team Heather’s Facebook Group: http://tiny.cc/TeamHeatherFacebook

Email Soliciting Silent Auction Items

Good Morning,

My friend, Shawn Gardner, is organizing South County Secondary School’s 4th Annual Silent Auction benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and he needs your help – http://tiny.cc/SouthCountySilentAuction.

To date, this dedicated school has raised over $22,000 in the battle against breast cancer, and they intend on hosting their most successful fundraising event ever for the 10th anniversary of Team Heather’s involvement in the Global Race for the Cure – http://tiny.cc/10thAnniversary.

Team Heather is named after Shawn’s 26 year old sister who lost her battle to breast cancer in 2002; in 2010, this team will top a quarter-of-a-million dollars raised in this global battle to end breast cancer.

So, is there any way you might consider donating an item for their silent auction? Tickets to professional sports franchises, gift certificates, professional services, hand-made items, etc. Additionally, do you know anyone in your address book, neighborhood, religious community, or family who would consider donating a silent auction item and who might have connections to businesses like Best Buy, Apple, Brookstone, Target, I-Kea, Wegman’s, Whole Foods, Border’s, PetSmart, Home Depot, Lowes, restaurants, spas, salon, etc.? Shawn has compiled a generic list of silent auction items to give folks ideas – http://tiny.cc/SilentAuctionItemsList.

If you have any ideas, suggestions, or questions, you can email Shawn directly as gardnershawn68@aol.com. Either way, I thank you for your consideration in assisting Team Heather’s efforts and hopefully they look forward to your support as they begin their 2010 fundraising season in a little over a month – http://tiny.cc/TeamHeather2010.

Thank you!

Team Heather Celebrates Our 10th Anniversary in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

What does Team Heather have in common with the following?

1. “O: The Oprah Magazine”
2. Rascal Flatts
3. Crews aboard the International Space Station
4. CBS’s “Survivor”
5. The Sydney Olympics
6. The Bush v. Gore Election
7. Playstation 2
8. Senator Clinton
9. Movies like “Cast Away,” “Gladiator,” “X-Men,” and “Meet the Parents”
10. World population tops 6 billion

We are all celebrating 10th Anniversaries of some kind in 2010.

For Team Heather, it’s 10 years of working as a team. 10 Years of carrying on the battle Heather began. 10 Years of celebrating survivorship. 10 Years of raising money and awareness. 10 Years of writing, informing, speaking, running, advocating, walking, teaching, advocating and educating in this global battle to end breast cancer.

Help make 2010 our greatest year ever; visit Team Heather 2010, today.

Silent Auction Items Needs for South County Secondary School’s 4th Annual Talent Show/Silent Auction

SCSS Silent Auction and Show Item Ideas

Gift Certificates or Items Donated from Businesses Like:

ELECTRONICS:
1. Best Buy
2. FYE
3. Radio Shack
4. Apple
5. Brookstone
6. Gamestop
7. Office Depot
8. OfficeMax
9. Staples

DEPARTMENT/CLOTHING STORES:
1. Target
2. Walmart
3. T.J. Maxx
4. I-Kea
5. Sears
6. J.C. Penny’s
7. Costo
8. Sam’s
9. Men’s Warehouse
10. Gap
11. Banana Republic
12. J. Crew

GROCERY STORES:
1. Wegman’s
2. Whole Foods
3. Trader Joe’s
4. Giant

SPECIALTY STORES:
1. Border’s
2. Barnes & Noble’s
3. Bed, Bath, & Beyond
4. Bath & Body Works
5. Container Store
6. PetSmart
7. PetCo
8. Sunglass Hut

HOME IMPROVEMENT:
1. Home Depot
2. Lowes

GENERAL:
1. Restaurants
2. Potomac Mill’s Stores

SERVICES:
1. Salons
2. Spas
3. Beauty salons

Home and House
1. Gift certificate for maid service
2. Tool box filled with new tools
3. Electronics: stereo system, iPod, television, etc.
4. Set of CDs around a certain theme
5. Digital camera or video camera
6. Artwork
7. Gift certificate for a painting of your house
8. Gift certificate for a room makeover
9. Gift certificate for a session with a professional organizer
10. Handyman gift certificate
11. Box/bucket of fancy cleaning products
12. Handmade pottery
13. Gift certificate from a local photographer
14. Handmade cards, photo album, etc.
15. Gift basket related to a specific craft (for example, stamping, or knitting)
16. Gift certificate for a craft class
17. Handmade quilt or certificate for handmade quilt
18. Baskets themed around a holiday (for example, a Christmas basket could include ornaments, holiday candles, a tree skirt, stockings, etc.)
19. Electric tools
20. Silk or dried floral arrangement
21. Household items such as vases, bowls, platters, candlesticks, pillows
22. Complete tabletop: includes set of dishes for eight, table cloth, napkins, candle holders, silverware, crystal, etc.
23. Gift certificates from local gift shops
24. Piano tuning
25. Collectible doll/figurine
26. Artificial/decorated Christmas tree
27. Longaberger basket
28. Dyson vacuum cleaner
29. Use of a dumpster for a week

Trips, Getaways, and Just Fun
1. Use of vacation home
2. Bed & Breakfast
3. Downtown hotel stay
4. Resorts
5. Limousine service
6. Airline tickets
7. Hot air balloon ride
8. Sailing or boat cruise
9. Tickets to local arts and culture events (music, theatre, dance, opera, museums etc)
10. Gift certificate for dance lessons
11. Limo ride
12. Horsedrawn carriage ride
13. Hot air balloon ride
14. Tour of a local winery with a private wine tasting
15. Gift certificate for bowling
16. Gift certificate for a bed and breakfast
17. Small getaway packages
18. Weekend in a cabin or condo
19. Weekend hot tub rental
20. A musical performance in your home

Sports and Sporting Events
1. Rounds of golf or tennis
2. Tickets for a professional or college game: hockey, basketball, baseball, football,
3. Memorabilia signed by professional players (baseball, bobble head, photo, jersey)
4. Sports equipment: golf clubs, tennis racket, fishing rod, tackle box filled with lures
5. Gift certificate for golf, diving, tennis, riding, skiing, etc. lessons
6. Gift certificate for round of golf at local club
7. Sunglasses
8. Half day of guided fishing
9. Gym membership
10. Tent, sleeping bag, cookstove, etc.
11. Binoculars
12. Ski lift ticket certificates

For Her
1. Classic jewelry (for example, a single strand of pearls)
2. Gift certificate from a local jeweler
3. Handmade jewelry
4. Gift certificate for manicure, pedicure, massage, haircut, spa day
5. Basket of spa/bath products (for example The Thymes, Crabtree and Evelyn, etc.)
6. Basket of fine soaps, lotion, etc.
7. Handmade/hand-knit scarves
8. Relaxation basket: bubble bath, aroma therapy candle, CD of quiet music, etc.
9. Handbag from Coach, Brighton, etc.

Children
1. Family Fun Box: a plastic tub filled with various board and card games, snacks (such as microwave popcorn, licorice, Goldfish, Skittles), and/or a Blockbuster gift certificate
2. Baby basket filled with lotion, powder, bibs, blanket, toys, etc.
3. Set of childrens books
4. Set of childrens toys
5. Set of childrens DVDs
6. Playhouse (outdoor)
7. Gift certificate for admission to the Childrens Museums, Museums, Zoos, etc.
8. Toy store gift certificates
9. Gift certificate for a visit from Santa at your home
10. Gift certificate for a clown at a birthday party
11. Gift certificate for a pony at a birthday party
12. Bicycle
13. Admission to a water park or other theme park

Food and Drink
1. Gourmet foods
2. Cooking lessons or gift certificate for a cooking class
3. Gift certificates from local restaurants (both fine and casual)
4. Fine bottle(s) of wine
5. Single bottles of hard liquor (such as scotch)
6. Themed bar baskets (for example, everything you need to make a martini: vodka (or gin), a shaker, martini glasses, olives, etc.)
7. A sample pack of exotic beers
8. Gift certificate from a make and take business
9. Sets of cookbooks
10. Set of good kitchen knives
11. Small (but somewhat fancy) kitchen appliances: a KitchenAid mixer, espresso machine
12. Gift certificate for a cookie a month, dessert a month, etc. (could be donated by a professional or by someone within your organization who bakes just like a professional)
13. Baskets: Chocolate basket, coffee basket, bread basket, wild rice basket: any type of theme can work! Include actual product, gift certificates for product, ingredients and tools to make product, cookbooks be creative!
14. Gift certificate/basket from a local food coop or food artisan (such as a chocolate, honey, cheese or wine maker)
15. Dinner prepared by a local chef or someone within your organization
16. Certificate from a local brewery to learn how to make your own beer
17. Set of wine glasses or barware
18. Set of BBQ tools
19. Year supply of Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies

House and Garden
1. Antiques
2. Oriental carpets
3. Appliances
4. Kitchen equipment
5. Gift certificate from a local nursery
6. Gift certificate from a local florist (could be a single certificate or for a flower/plant a month)
7. Tote of garden tools
8. Garden bench
9. Garden boot cleaner
10. Copper fire pit
11. Garden sculpture
12. Bird feeder and bird feed
13. Gift certificate from a local landscaper
14. Gift certificate for dirt, rock, mulch
15. Gift certificate from a lawn service
16. Use of a piece of heavy landscape equipment for a weekend
17. Adirondack chairs
18. Porch swing
19. Patio furniture
20. Lawn mower
21. Snow blower
22. BBQ grill
23. Yard cleanup/gutter cleaning/window washing gift certificate

Professional Services
1. Accountant
2. Personal trainer
3. Photographer
4. Interior designer
5. Landscape designer
6. Computer consultant
7. Lawyer (simple will or other service)
8. Massage therapist
9. Florist

Arts and Crafts
1. Paintings, Drawings, and Prints
2. Ceramics
3. Fine jewelry
4. Quilts and hangings
5. Handmade clothing
6. Art classes

Electronics
1. I-Pod
2. Digital camera
3. Laptop computer

Gift Certificates
1. Restaurants
2. Books and CDs
3. Clothing and accessories
4. Beauty salon
5. Car wash

Cultural Events
1. Concert tickets
2. Theater tickets
3. Movie tickets
4. Personal museum tour

Special Events
1. Hosted dinner
2. Hosted kids party
3. Catering
4. Music for a party
5. Facility rental

Miscellaneous
1. Gift certificate for tax preparation
2. Personal coaching sessions
3. Teeth whitening gift certificate
4. Basket of pet related items
5. Gift certificate for veterinary services
6. Items signed by celebrities
7. Gift certificates for car washes or detailing