It was just yesterday when I posted about my participation in the Seattle Walk to End Colon Cancer, and my fundraising goal for this event. In the past 24-odd hours, my team received a surge of donations and we surpassed my team goal by a healthy margin. Amazing!

Here’s what I sent out to the donors and team members earlier today:

My mind is totally blown by all the donations that came in, over the past 24 hours! We’ve blown way past my goal. Wow!

I’m touched, seriously, feeling the love and support from all of you — and I’ve got to call out, way to go, Lenati alumni network!!  All the lovely folks who I worked with at Lenati Consulting, back in the day have really been the driving force behind this recent wave of donations. Many have gone on to other ventures over the years, and there also many who have remained with Lenati, as it has evolved (now part of a much larger company, Concentrix). 

We are all part of multiple social circles, and this past day has me reflecting on the power, and the magic really, of these networks. Amazing. I am grateful.

If you scroll down in the Seattle Walk page, you’ll see my team is now in 3rd place for fundraising for this event; Natalie and Brianna are in the lead (with team names much more interesting than my own). They are the cancer survivors I met with earlier this year, both very inspirational. Brianna actually is the person who started the Seattle walk.

I’ve been reflecting on something they said to me in that conversation. They both noted that I’m unique — because there’s a notable lack of male team captains in this event — and in related cancer advocacy causes, in general. Seems to be mostly women leading the charge. On a similar note, in the Colontown forums (amazing resource for colorectal cancer patients and caregivers — highly recommended), I can’t help but notice all the posts from women, on behalf of a man in their life. Why? This is ridiculous. Why are men not capable of going into these types of forums themselves, and doing their own research? I very rarely see the converse (men posting in the forum on behalf of a woman). This is embarrassing. Dudes — let’s step it up. Stop being babies.