With so many available cancers to fight by raising money and awareness, why, one might ask, have we chosen to fight breast cancer? To that, there is this: If life experience results in the motivation to change some aspect of it, why not?

As a senior in high school, I experienced a powerful life event that propelled me into action. My friend, Katie, had a beautiful, active, love-filled mother named Judi who was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996. After a long year of various treatments, the cancer appeared to have subsided. As a result of facing her own cancer, Judi became active with various breast cancer organizations to comfort those who were diagnosed and to help search for a cure. Sadly, Judi's determination to comfort and help ended as she lost her final battle to breast cancer on April 20, 2001.

Unquestionably, Judi's fight for life and the lives of others, and ultimately her war on breast cancer, needed to be continued. For a reason yet to be identified in all of its infinite complexity, the idea to raise money for breast cancer research began to root itself in my brain, fastening with a great sense of faith and hope that the discovery of a cure was possible. Still to this day, it seems so unfair that families must be forever bruised by the tragic loss of a loved one to a demon such as breast cancer. Knowing how hard Judi fought and imagining how tragic a loss of a mother could possibly be, it was imperative that Judi be honored and her mission continued. Thus, in 2001, we started the Annual Judi Shesh Memorial 5K Run/Walk to raise money for and awareness of breast cancer in honor of a wonderful woman who lived with grace.

In our 8th year of operation, the momentum of past years has sustained the event's success. As a result of the formation of the Judi Shesh Memorial Foundation and the overall success of the event, we have had the opportunity to reach out to the community and help families affected by breast cancer through the "Families in Need" benefaction. We have also maintained a beneficiary relationship with both the Islip Breast Cancer Coalition and Cold Spring Harbor Labs, allowing us to realize our goal of assisting in the discovery of the cure for breast cancer. As a Foundation, our mission is clear. We are a non-profit organization that works to raise money for Breast Cancer Research and assist Breast Cancer Charities in our community.

I truly believe that there is triumph through tragedy.

Join us in celebrating Judi's life and the lives of others on June 2, 2007 at 8:30am and let us continue the war on breast cancer!

Thank you for reading and for all of your support!

Sincerely, Caitlin C. Moreira Founder and Co-President

The Judi Shesh Memorial Foundation is a not-for-profit organization
pursuant to Section 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.