WEEKLY SPOTLIGHT:  Taking steps towards a cure, 60 miles at a time

Rocky Mount, NC - Time in the off-season is precious to any collegiate coach.  Whether recruiting, spending time with family, or taking a much-needed vacation, the off-season can prove to be very rewarding.  This was especially true for one North Carolina Wesleyan coach on August 3rd.  It was on this day that head women’s soccer coach Tory Lukasina embarked on a journey that would prove to give back far more than she ever imagined.    

Lukasina’s trip began with a flight to Boston, Massachusetts where she took part in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk for Breast Cancer, a grueling 60-mile walk that serves as one of twelve annual events dedicated to helping find a cure.  Coach Lukasina joined CHAAMPS, a group out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina that raised $120,000 over the past three years of participation.

“My mother is a Breast Cancer survivor, and I have a close friend that lost her mother to this horrible disease,” said Lukasina.  “This made the event special to me on a personal level.  When I began this journey, I had no idea how rewarding it would be, but I would have walked another 60 miles to feel that feeling again.” 

The Boston 3-Day raised over 4.8 million dollars and required each participant to raise a minimum of $2,200 dollars.  The 3-Day walk took participants through quaint New England towns, the Blue Hills Reservation, and then along the Massachusetts coastline into the city of Boston. 

“The stories of survival and loss along the way were amazing,” she added. “Everywhere you looked you found motivation to continue.  It truly gives you a new appreciation for each and every day we are given.” 

To learn more about how you can donate, walk or volunteer for a 3-Day event please go to www.the3day.org.