Danvers Sisters Organize Cancer Walk/Run in Mother's Memory

When Danvers resident Stacy Talbot was twelve years old, and her younger sister Julie was ten, their mother Lynda was diagnosed with breast cancer. 

"You're scared but you can't really make much sense of it," said Stacy Talbot (now Bazylinski.) "When someone is diagnosed at a young age you live in fear for your entire life. Every cough, every ache or pain you immediately get nervous. Any routine thing became bigger than life for all of us."

For Lynda, the battle with breast cancer continued for 23 years, until her passing in 2010. After the first time, Lynda was diagnosed again when Stacy and Julie were 20 and 22, then when they were 28 and 30. The final diagnosis came five years later.

"I thought in the fifth grade I was going to lose my mother," said Julie Tablot (now Donnelly.) "Then, as the years went on and the diagnosis kept coming we learned to cherish and appreciate our family. We were always an extremely close family."

Stacy and Julie's parents met when they were just fifteen years old, both having been raised in Danvers. "We met in high school," said their father, Bruce. "I played football and asked her to go to a dance. We'd been together ever since…probably about 45 years."

A month before Lynda passed away she was diagnosed with the BRCA 2 gene mutation which predisposed her to breast cancer. Donnelly found out just days after her mothers funeral that she also had the mutation. "I knew at that time I was going to do anything to avoid going through what my mother went through," she said. "I had a double mastectomy last October and have been going through the reconstruction process."

Donnelly and Bazylinski had both participated in the Susan G. Komen breast cancer events and left feeling motivated to do something more. It was friend Kristen [Clark] who suggested their event be closer to home.

Thus came, the “," which as of today had over 400 participants. The event will take place at 9 a.m. on September 25 at the .

"A lot of people liked my wife and me, and the kids," said Bruce, a retired officer. "It's a very humbling experience that this many people care as much as they seem to. I don't expect anybody to help out, so it's quite nice actually."

The Talbot sisters and Bruce have organized the race alongside Kristen Haibon Clark, Dena DeLuca Chase, Kathy Gardner, Dani Gianino Baldassare, Kristen Cullen, Keri Smith Demers, Allison Jansky Eaton, Jani Haibon Wilichoski,  Natasha Romsavich Coyne, Lauren Jalbert Burke and Michelle Frasier Dustin. 

"They have spent many hours organizing over the last few months, so it's really quite successful," said Bruce. "It should be a fun thing for everybody--probably a little emotional, but that comes with the territory.

Participation Information

To sign up for the race please register on ACTIVE.COM.
 
For those who like to make a donation, please make checks payable to Lynda J. Talbot Memorial and mail to:
 
B&S Event Management
c/o Lynda J. Talbot Memorial Run/Walk
15 Maple St.
Salem, MA 01970
 
The company, individual or family who donates $200 or more will be recognized on the back of the t-shirts that will be given to all runners and walkers.