Breast Cancer Survivor Rides to Give Back

Lawrenceville resident, Kendra Skellen, speaks about her fight with breast cancer and her participation in the Atlanta 2-Day’s Moto Crew.

By: Michelle Berman

In January 2006, Kendra Skellen went in for a routine mammogram. After her doctors saw something, she went in for a biopsy, and on Martin Luther King Day, Kendra discovered that she had breast cancer. Two weeks later, Kendra underwent a lumpectomy, and then began her chemo and radiation treatments. Now, six years cancer free, Kendra knows more than ever that “cancer is not a death sentence.”

Individuals or teams can participate in the Atlanta 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer, which covers 30 miles over two days, with each walker responsible for raising $1,000.

In 2007, Kendra found an ad for the Atlanta 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer online. She, along with 7 or 8 friends, walked for the first time that year. “The first year I walked as a survivor, it was very healing. I got something really special out of it,” says Kendra. After the walk, Kendra felt as if she didn’t have the strength to walk again, however, she still wanted to be involved. So, in 2008, and again in 2009, Kendra was part of the bicycle crew. “The bicycle crew ride their bikes alongside the walkers cheering them on and looking for people who need help,” explains Kendra. “Our main goal is the safety and comfort of the walkers.”

In 2011, Kendra joined the Moto (cycle) Crew, with her husband, Frank. The Moto Crew’s main job is to help block off difficult intersections so that walkers can cross safely. While this may seem like a serious job, the members of the Moto Crew find ways to have fun. “We love to entertain the walkers,” says Kendra. “We dress up and wear lots of pink. We’re the crazy ones!” Kendra and her husband also participate in fundraisers, such as a tennis round-robin and motorcycle rides, to raise money for the Atlanta 2-Day Walk.

Celebrating ten years this October, The Atlanta 2-Day Walk has generated more than $8 million for 169 grants to breast health programs throughout Georgia that provide screening and diagnosis, treatment, education, and support services.  The endurance walk is produced by It’s The Journey, a local organization which is proud to state that all of the money raised here, stays here in Georgia.

Kendra describes the Atlanta 2-Day as “a very emotionally uplifting experience.” She says that for cancer survivors, “it’s a great weekend to bond with other people that know what you’ve been through.” Through the 2-Day Kendra says that she has had a lot of support and the fact that the walk is run mostly by volunteers, “really says a lot.”

For more information about sponsorship, becoming a walker or making a donation to the Atlanta 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer, visit www.2daywalk.org, email info@2daywalk.org, or call (404) 531-4111.