Breast Cancer 3-Day

By Lisa White
Vice President, White Labs, and Beer for 
Boobs team captain

(Editor's note: the following is a reprint from an article published in the Spring 2009 issue of Craft Beer Quarterly).

Zero to 60 miles in 3 days!

We did it! The walk is over, the hundreds of pink tents are gone, the muscle aches have passed and the blisters have healed, but the experience of this walk will be with us always. Our team was privileged to be a part of an incredible experience.

We walked the many steps around San Diego for those fighting the battle against breast cancer, for those who have conquered the disease, and for those who have fought and lost. Our team raised over $25,000.

Together with about 5,000 others in San Diego, we raised over 11.3 million dollars!

The Susan G. Komen 3-day walk allowed us to bond as a team, as women, and as a community.

We were bombarded with emotion at every turn.

Many of the 5,000 participants took turns holding banner signs during the walk to represent those who we were all walking for — My Grandmother, My Aunt, My Best Friend, etc.

We were like little girls when children were handing us stickers at the cheering stations.

We appreciated the pink lemonade, red vines, cookies and milk, and even grilled Ahi tuna that supporters made for us during our long daily journey. There were even a couple of homes in the Mission Beach area that were giving out beer and wine shots.

Our eyes welled up with tears when the bald ladies in evening dresses, who had recently had chemo, sincerely thanked us for walking for them.

The sweep vans that took you to the next pit stop or medical tent were outfitted with volunteers in various themes. I took one that had Lucy and Ethyl as drivers. They really played the part too. So many people in cars honked and waved with support. It was a different kind of San Diego, and we loved it!

Days before the walk, most of us would have told you that we would never do this torturous walk and training again. Now, we all crave the feeling we had out there.

Beer for Boobs will be back in 2009.

Thank you to those who donated money, and those who donated well wishes. Special thanks to my teammates. We pulled each other through those 60 miles.

Great job ladies! Beer for Boobs team 2008 included: Lisa White, Lara Wenner, Yvonne Angel, Ashley Paulsworth, JoAnne Carilli-Stevenson, Meg Falbo, Victoria Mayes, and Stefanie Wacker.

Beer for Boobs team members pose with team shirts and glasses.

Thanks to sponsors

Well Sponsors ($250): Iron Hill Brewing Co., Dogfish Head Brewing Co., Hogtown Brewers, beermapping.com,. Tap Room, Stone Brewing Co., Fredericksburg Brewing Co., Hop Union, Alesmith Brewing Co., Gordon Biersch San Diego, Joe & Carol Carilli.