"In It to End It"

Breast cancer is not just a disease that affects women. No one knows that better than Tonya Stokes. In 2003, she lost her sister Velma Stacker to the disease—just four years after losing her brother Edward Williams, Jr. to breast cancer as well. 

After having two siblings succumb to breast cancer, Stokes decided to commit to finding a cure for the deadly disease. In 1999, she took that step. That was same year she started working in the Avon distribution center in Suwanee as an administrative assistant. She volunteered to be a team captain for the makeup maker’s Walk for Breast Cancer. This is her tenth year taking part in the walk and her fourth year as a walker.

Every October, Stokes and her team heads up to Charlotte, North Carolina to take part in the two-day, 39.3 mile walk. Stokes decided to switch from volunteering and start walking because it was more personal. “The mile markers with quotes are an inspiration to me. To know that I’m out there to complete that journey,” Stokes said before tearing up. 

Completing the walk is a challenge but Stokes says she enjoys every step. “It’s amazing to see all the people who come from all over,” she said. Seeing the “Circle of Survivors” is always a moving moment for her. And Stokes makes sure to bring back a goody bag for a co-worker who is also a survivor.

There was a lot of preparation in advance of the walk that was held last weekend. The total route is equal to a marathon and a half. Walkers walked 26.2 miles on Saturday and 13.1 on Sunday. To get ready, Stokes would go for a two-mile stroll on her breaks at work with co-workers. Three days a week, she walked four miles with members of her church who call themselves the “Mall Chicks.” On Saturdays her dog Caesar would be her walking companion through the park. Occasionally, Stokes’ husband Robert would join her and their 15-year-old son Malcolm would accompany them on his skateboard.

Family is a big reason why Stokes walks. She makes sure her 25-year-old daughter Jessica gets routine check ups. Same goes for her husband and son.

According to the American Cancer Society, 230,480 women are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011. This year, men will make up about one percent of all breast cancer diagnoses at an estimated 2,180 cases.

Cindy Snyder is the Manager of Oncology Services and an Advance Practice Nurse in Genetics at . She has the same advice for both men and women. “Pay attention to your body for any changes,” said Snyder. “If they’re new, get them checked.”

Breast cancer can strike even the health conscious. “My brother was the healthiest person,” said Stokes. “He was a vegetarian and for some reason, he was affected.”

“Family history increases the risk (of breast cancer) to about seven percent over a lifetime,” explained Snyder.

Stokes is aware of this increased risk and does all she can to make sure she’s healthy, including getting a mammogram every October. “Most people aren’t happy to turn 40, but I was,” said Stokes. “That joy was because I wanted to get my first mammogram and know that I was going to be okay.”

But not every test turned out all clear for Stokes.

Just last year, she had a scare following her annual mammogram. Her doctor ordered her to get another mammogram six months later. Six months full of worry. “I’m not ready for this! I’m 46,” Stokes recalled. “I want to see my grandbabies and grow old with them.” Fortunately, she received good news after that second mammogram. She was all clear.

Not everyone is as fortunate as Stokes was in learning their results, and that is one of the reasons why she laces up her sneakers every year for the long walk. The memory of her brother and sister are the other. “I’m in it to end it,” said Stokes.

Stokes is still accepting donations for her team. To make a donation, please visit her team's page.