Latest News & Info
Join Us at the Avon Sweetheart Soiree on Feb. 11. More info here.
The Pink Glove
Check out this great breast cancer awareness video by the folks at the Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland, Oregon.
Men With Heart in the News
Over the last few weeks, media attention on MWH has picked up. Check out some of the links below.
- Article on NHL.com
- Video on NHL.com (Scroll down to find MWH link.)
- Article in the Harvard Post
- Article in the Swampscott Reporter
- Article in the Hingham Journal
“Runway” Gala a Runaway Success!
Hundreds of attendees gathered at the InterContinental Hotel in Boston on Oct. 22 to support the the Faulkner Hospital Sagoff Center. The “Runway” Gala featured highbrow and lowbrow fashion. The former included a modeling competition that showcased the works of Boston’s most talented young designers from the School of Fashion Design. The latter involved a somewhat motley crew from MWH, sporting genuine cancer walk gear, including backpacks, baseball caps, sloggers, and our signature yellow jerseys.
A live and online auction also infused the bottom line, with the final total still being tallied. If recent events are any indication, hundreds of thousand of dollars will have been raised to support the Sagoff Center’s breast cancer treatment and prevention programs.
For a clip of MWH’s runway spoof, click here. For photos from the event, click here.
Race for the Cure Attracts Thousands
On Saturday, Sept. 26, Men With Heart joined thousands of participants at the 17th annual Komen Race for the Cure. This 5K walk/run had a huge turnout with more than 7,500 runners and walkers. The beautiful weather couldn’t have been more perfect for a saunter or sprint. MWH had a booth inside the World Trade Center where we talked to hundreds of participants and gave out thousands of MWH pins. For a photo gallery of the event, click here.
Lots more stuff is happening this fall! See our events calendar for more details or just contact us.
We’ve Only Just Begun!
The major walks are done for 2009. We hiked for five days and 100 miles to fight breast cancer. But we’re not finished! We have several events upcoming during the rest of the summer and the fall. Won’t you join us? You can volunteer for a few hours or walk for a few miles. And you don’t even need to camp out! See our events calendar for more details or just contact us.
Birch/Cotter Regatta: Sailing Toward a Cure
The 3rd Annual Jenny Birch/Susan Snow-Cotter Memorial Regatta to Fight Breast Cancer attracted more than 80 young mariners from across Massachusetts. Read details here.
The Boston Breast Cancer 3-Day: From Our Heads and Our Hearts
There are two ways of looking at the just-completed Boston Breast Cancer 3-Day — analytically and emotionally.
Now, we’re just a bunch of guys, and you already know the male gender’s predisposition: men would rather discuss horsepower or batting averages than talk about their feelings. We can’t fight our nature, so here’s an analytical take on the event:
weather: From crappy to heavenly. Some veteran walkers say Friday morning’s monsoon was the worst walk weather since the freak snowstorm of Avon ’02. There was simply no resisting it; we became one with the moisture. Yet Saturday and Sunday provided some perfectly fine and occasionally glorious strolling weather.
route: We gotta give the 3-Day folks credit: they mapped out a fabulous course. They managed to keep us off of most of the heartbreak hills. We saw the best of the city and the ‘burbs. (And who knew Southie had such pristine beaches?!)
facilities: It pains nature lovers like ourselves to admit it, but camping on artificial turf has its advantages: no mud, no leaves, no muck, no bugs. (Although the mosquitoes were nasty.) The non-existent lines in the men’s showers were a major plus, at least for us (sorry ladies!); and the short food lines were appreciated by every hungry walker.
organizational issues: Everything was going along swimmingly until closing ceremonies concluded. Question: What brilliant Komen flunky decided it was a good idea to make participants walk another mile AFTER the walk was finished? And what, exactly, was the advantage in parking a mile away from UMass? We still had a massive traffic jam; the only difference being that we had to walk there first in order to get stuck in it.
impact: 1600 walkers raised more than $4 million in the fight against breast cancer. A major, impressive blow in the ongoing battle against an insidious foe.
OK, so maybe analytical ain’t cutting it. We are men enough to admit that the essence of the walk doesn’t lend itself to a dispassionate dissection. Perhaps we should break down those gender barriers that keep a man’s feeling hidden?
Fortunately, many on the Men With Heart team got in touch with their feminine sides by virtue of being surrounded by 1400 women over the course of three days. (Case in point, our teammate Paul D., who willingly subjected himself to a MAN-icure [get it?], allowing his fingernails to be painted hot pink.*) As such, we think we are psychologically ready to give our emotional reaction to the walk.
We were all part of a sea—no, a tsunami—of incredible people who walked as one, who renewed existing bonds and created new friendships. We shared stories of many cancer-related sorrows (and, thankfully, some survivor-related joys) even as we endured our own hardships on the walk. (But we knew that our blisters and cramps and shin splints were nothing compared to what our loved ones fighting breast cancer have withstood.)
We walked through driving rain, scorching sun, and oppressive humidity. We provided shoulders to lean on and cry on. We supported each other and cheered each other on. If one of us faltered, others quickly stepped in to offer a hand. And simultaneously, we helped our loved ones of this and the next generation. Together, we took on a profound cause and a formidable enemy. And we won the battle.
No, we didn’t find a cure for breast cancer this past weekend. But we chipped away at it effectively, relentlessly, determinatively. We demonstrated a commitment and a tenacity that will, ultimately, vanquish this disease.
We at Men With Heart consider it a privilege to have walked with you, and we thank you for the opportunity. We were moved by your shared stories and your words of thanks and encouragement. We are grateful for your good-natured tolerance of our off-key singing. And we hope we helped to make your steps lighter, your pain more tolerable, and your spirits brighter.
And we look forward to doing it all over again next year!
On behalf of all the Men With Heart,
Jack Burlingame
P.S. If you’d like to leave a message, please use the “comments” link at the top of this post.
P.P.S. Our man Paul (shown in the photo above) is not just another pretty face. He also put together an incredible slideshow on the walk. Check it out below.
* Just in case you want to buy a bottle, here’s the name of the polish used to paint Paul’s fingernails: “Back Off!”
18 Comments so far
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I wanted to say thank you for being AMAZING! You all are great!! I walked the first day and injured my knee so switched over to crew but you all are amazingly wonderful men and a wonderful sight to see walking and smiling and shedding joy on the walk!! THANK YOU and keep doing what you do! xoxo!
All of you are so great. The sight of your yellow shirts really was a source of hope and inspiration all weekend. It is because of support from men like you that make the fight against breast cancer a winning battle! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
HELLO MEN WITH HEART!! You guys are FABULOUS!!! I had a great time this past weekend in BOSTON, I worked the LUNCH CREW and had JASON stop by and help me out greeting the walkers at lunchtime. He was alot of fun, even though he was out of commission due to his foot injury he still plugged away helping out wherever needed especially cheering on those walkers who had to keep turning the corner before entering the BARNYARD for lunch. He is great at handing out stickers too!!! We know walkers LOVE STICKERS!! You all take that one extra step and always make everyone smile. Once they see those yellow shirts and backpacks, they know they have someone to give them that one little extra ounce of UMPH!! Keep up the great work and we will see you guys next year. And YES I will have my walking shoes back on!!!!!
Dear Men With Heart,
I just wanted you to know how much joy you bring to the 3-Day walk. It is always uplifting to look up and see your signature yellow shirts, and so many walkers are carried through the day by your songs and backpacks o’ goodies. On a personal note, the song you sang to the lunch crew on Saturday MADE our day!
Congrats on another wonderful walk, to a wonderful group. You are much loved.
Many Hugs,
Nicole
(the lunch crew girl with the loud voice and the cow bell… and a Pink Angel)
I wanted to thank you all for the wonderful cheering section as we walked into camp and closing. Even though you walked also, you still found the energy to cheers everyone else on! You are true heros!!
I ended up with a stress fracture in my foot, but pushed on on Day 3. I felt that I needed to continue because my foot pain is nothing compared to the pain all those courageous survivors have endured!!
Thank you all for everything you’ve done! And thank you to all the walkers who walked beside me, I enjoyed meeting each and every one of you!
Jamie
On Saturday night, when I went to the medical tent to request a common hygiene item, I got two surprises: one — they didn’t have any; and two — they told me to look for any yellow-shirted guy from Men With Heart, who would be able help me out.
I didn’t go far before I spotted one of your members, who said that it wasn’t the first referral your group had gotten from the medical team. He also said, half-jokingly I think, that you guys were planning to add blister lancing to your list of services for 2010!
The funny thing is, based on my experiences this weekend, I think I would trust you to do it!
Thanks, Men With Heart, for all you do!
Jenny C.
Men with Heart are a fixture on the Boston 3 Day, just as the Pink Angels Posse and Honey I’m Home are… You brighten each and every walkers day/mile/step with your kindness, goodies in those backpacks (love those tootsie rolls!) and your singing. Each year it appears your numbers grow and for good reason. Keep up the great work and we will see you next year!
It was great seeing all of you walking. I was out there with my black lab grandpuppy cheering for my Daughter (her 10th walk/yr) and Son-in-law (his first)and for all the other walkers. One of your team mates gave me one of your organizations buttons while I was cheering at the Comm Ave and Berkley St intersection. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your heart.
Thank you Men with Heart!
From the ladies (and gentlemen) working at the Pit Crews who you serenaded, made laugh, and gave an extra burst of inspiration to all weekend long. You guys walk all 60 miles (carrying emergency supplies no less) and still find the energy to make everyone’s day a little brighter everywhere you go. Can’t wait to see you next year!
Dear Men With Heart,
Another one in the books my friends! Just wanted to say Thank You, you really made a huge impact on my team (Again) when we crossed the finish line. Your cheers, hugs and high fives really brought some tears to our eyes! When we saw your yellow shirts in the final stretch we knew we made it a happy but sad moment because our journey was over……until next year!
Scott I’ve told you many times that joining MWH was one of the best things that could have happened to me. Thanks again for giving me the opportunity to be apart of the team. Hopefully one day Pretty In Pink & Billy will be as successful as MWH!
See you around my friend,
Billy
Good morning gentlemen! I just wanted to let you know what a great site I think you have here. You guys were awesome at the 3-Day, though I didn’t actually get to talk to any of you! Next year, I’ll make it a point. I hope you don’t mind, but I put a link to your site on my FaceBook status and encouraged friends to check it out. Thank you for making a difference! See you in 2010!
Much Love
Bethany
THANK YOU, Men with Heart! You guys are the best. Thank you for all your encouragement, laugher and enthusiasm along the Boston Walk. It was an honor to walk with you! Hope to see you all again soon.
Well done, MWH!!
Liz
Hi Guys,
Just a note to say a huge thanks for all your positive energy this past weekend. You guys rock!
Mary Ellen
A policeman overheard our discussion about the distance to luggage and mentioned that originally, ceremonies were to be on the field closer to where luggage was! He did not mention why it changed…
I was so glad to walk a stretch with some of you on Saturday (yes, Scott, I found the website), along with seeing all your smiling faces at the end of the route each day. As a survivor, your support and commitment mean a lot!
Mary (the lady in the pink Packer hat)
Men With Heart!
You are the most inspiring group of people I’ve met in a very long time. Walking with you guys last week in the Boston Breast Cancer ThreeDay was a pleasure and I’ve not stopped telling the story since the event ended. Although I walked last year, it was this year when I started to get to know a few of you and hope to know you better as time goes forward.
By the way, Tim – my sister wore her Men With Heart pin home on the plane (she came from Missouri to cheer me on and we met you in the Sheraton lobby) and I’m pretty sure she’s not stopped telling her version of the MWH story. Great to meet you and I applaud what you do – it’s important and it’s so heartening to see how much you all care. Your support of us Walkers is gratefully received! See you soon –
Mary S./Lexington Walker ‘08/’09
Thanks to all of you. What a great thing to do for all of the women in your lives and it helps us see what is good in this world!
I walked in the Boston 3-Day this year. The past two years I have walked in Seattle (which is where I live). Although we had tons of community support in Seattle, there was no one like you guys. You were amazing and so kind. I just wanted to say thanks. I just finished writing my thank you letter to my family and friends and you are mentioned several times as I speak of the support we received along the way. As my cousin and I walked into camp Saturday night to a bunch of guys singing Pretty Woman, how could you help but smile, no matter how tired we were. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to the Men With Heart!!!