How many of us have looked at a situation, wanted to change it, but felt there was no way one person could make a difference?
I can tell you from my recent research, that thought process can be a fallacy.
For example, this month’s feature celebrating 25 years of the impact of the Rays of Hope Walk (and now run) Toward the Cure of Breast Cancer is a shining example of just how inaccurate that thinking can be.
One person with vision and drive truly can make a difference.
For Lucy Giuggio (now Giuggio Carvalho), her experience navigating treatment for her stage 1 breast cancer back in 1993 was both confusing and overwhelming. An oncology nurse, she wanted to make the breast cancer treatment journey easier for other women like herself.
Her idea: start a fundraiser to help provide access to more information – and possibly enhanced local treatment services – for fellow breast cancer patients. Sharing her vision with nearly everyone she knew, Giuggio Carvalho assembled a team of 17 people –“mostly family, I come from a big Italian family” she said, that helped her plan, organize and promote her first Rays of Hope: a Walk Toward the Cure of Breast Cancer – in October of 1994.
The public ‘embraced” her idea, Giuggio Carvalho said, and the rest is history.
To date the funds raised by Rays of Hope have helped to provide everything from state-of-the art biopsy equipment to wellness services that address the mind, body and spirit of breast cancer patients and survivors to cutting-edge research that’s been adopted by other programs nationwide.
Rays of Hope has done more than Giuggio Carvalho imagined when she set out to put on that first walk, but not more than she hoped for. ‘I’ll walk even after there’s a cure,” she told Prime in an interview for the feature story in this month’s edition. “There’s always work to be done.”
Giuggio Carvalho isn’t the only local person who has seen a problem or situation, and found a way to make a difference. Prime will be talking to more social entrepreneurs in coming issues.
Columnist recognized, honored by peers
Congratulations to our Finance/Elder Law columnist, Attorney Gina Barry! Atty. Barry was recently named “Lawyer of the Year” for Springfield Elder Law by “Best Lawyers in America 2019”. She was selected for this honor through a survey of 7 million of her peers. I am truly fortunate to have such a well-respected and skilled expert in the field of Elder Law on my editorial board!
Thanks for reading,
Debbie Gardner
debbieg@thereminder.com
